Ascending
by hannymae
Summary: Originally made for shipping purposes. Basically Caulifla's version of the tournament until her erasure and beyond. Canon compliant up until episode 99. YES it's GokuxCaulifla with CabbaxKale. Slowburn. Discontinued; there's a summary up now.
1. Power on, brave warriors!

"Teach me."

Goku glanced backwards to see Caulifla standing behind him, arms akimbo. Wind whipped up by warriors duking it out fiercely on the stage tossed her hair about. A few feet behind Caulifla was Kale - a shy saiyan female who had yet to earn her keep in the Tournament of Power.

Caulifla shifted her weight and held her head up high, her eyes flashing. "Teach me how to do that - that blue form of yours!"

"S-sis," started Kale as she looked around worriedly and spotted a warrior from Universe 10 heading their way.

"Right now?" said Goku. He raised an eyebrow, not particularly impressed by her behaviour. "And here I thought we were enemies." He lifted a hand a shot a blast in the females' direction.

"Damn bastard!" Caulifla cursed, holding up her arms to block the chi blast. She blinked in surprise when the energy sphere flew past her and hit the approaching Universe 10 warrior, knocking him backward. When the smoke from the explosion cleared, Goku was nowhere to be found.

"Sneaky," Caulifla remarked. "Though I suppose we owe him one now. Come on Kale!" She jumped into the fray once more, leaving Kale, still shaken by the erasure of Universe 9, behind.

"Umm, sis..."

* * *

"HYAAH!" Caulifla knocked her opponent away with a perfectly executed roundhouse kick. She subsequently fired a volley of chi blasts, further injuring her foe - a woman with green hair.

"No!" cried Helles as Brianne de Chateau struggled to stand. "How hideous! Brianne needs to transform first!"

Suddenly, Caulifla was rushed at by Rabanra, who sought to assist his teammate. "Hurry up and transform!" shouted the Universe 2 warrior.

Brianne stood up and grumbled something about 'needing an opening for some dramatic flair' before doing so, becoming Ribrianne.

 _Shit!_ Caulifla screamed in her mind as Rabanra broke through her defenses. _I might need to go super saiyan for this._ With a fierce yell, she transformed, a warm, golden light enveloping her small frame. She struck Rabanra with an uppercut before hitting him repeatedly with a combination of kicks and punches. The saiyan was watching the Universe 2 warrior slam into the ground with satisfaction when a voice sounded, "PRETTY CANNON!"

Caulifla's shriek of pain was cut off when she too hit the stage, courtesy of a disgustingly pink beam. Ribrianne landed gently before pointing an outstretched arm toward the fallen saiyan. "Now it's time for my final attack!" she declared, forming a bigger energy blast than the previous one in her palm. "Don't try this at home kids... SUPER PRETTY CANNON!"

 _No! It can't end like this. Not against some pink fatass!_ With a strained grunt, she rolled out of the way, only to face Rabanra, who had since recovered from Caulifla's assault. Caulifla moved into a fighting stance, turning into her second super saiyan form as she did so. Her eyebrows knitted into a frown as her gaze darted between Ribrianne and Rabanra.

Ribrianne moved first, attacking recklessly like a bat out of hell, pushing Caulifla toward Rabanra. Caulifla, with her newfound strength, quickly turned the tables and forced Ribrianne with an offensive set of devastating attacks. She had not forgotten about Rabanra, who was now launching his own attack. Slamming Ribrianne to the side, she started exchanging blows with Rabanra instead, who was much more powerful than Ribrianne.

The female saiyan managed to catch a small breather when she sent Rabanra spinning toward the huge pillar in the centre of the fighting arena. She was about to charge at Ribrianne again when she saw Vegeta launch a series of chi spheres at the tubby fighter. _He's not half bad. Perhaps these Universe 7 saiyan are tougher than I thought._

 _"_ Hey!"

Caulifla smiled slightly as Cabba walked up to her, his posture tense, showing her that he was very much still on guard. "Cabba," she acknowledged coolly, not forgetting how he had driven poor Kale to tears just hours before the tournament.

"We need to fight together," the male saiyan stated. "If we want to increase our chances of winning."

"Sounds good." She surveyed the fighting grounds for any suitable foes. She smirked when she saw a lone warrior in red standing nearby the centre column. "That one, over there."

Cabba nodded and the two saiyans dashed toward Jiren, who had his back to them. Cabba reached him first, launching a series of attacks at the Pride Trooper's face. Not a single one of them made contact.

Caulifla's eyes widened. _Impossible! He hardly moved at all._ She scowled. _He's mocking us!_ A battle cry rising in her throat, she attacked with a sweeping kick, hoping to unbalance Jiren.

 _"CAULIFLA WATCH OUT!"_

Suddenly, Jiren was right in front of her. _I-I didn't even see him move at all...!_

* * *

Cabba's cry of distress was loud enough to reach the ears of some of the other warriors. Kale, who had found herself surrounded, gasped in horror as Jiren mercilessly punched Caulifla in the gut, sending her flying across the stage and toward the void below.

"No! No, no, STOP!" Kale wailed, reaching toward her mentor in vain.

"Hey!" snarled one of the fighters that had cornered her. "You're dealing with us now, girlie."

"Get away!" screamed Kale. "GET AWAY!" Her voice deepened, startling her opponents. The entire stage rumbled as Kale powered up, debris and rubble rising alongside the girl's hair. "CAULIFLA!" The girl exploded in a sickly green light, her hair spiking up and her muscles expanding to gigantic proportions.

"What the fu-" the warrior was cut off when Kale punched him off the stage with a furious, bellowing roar.

Kale hollered as her power continued to rise, blowing the other warriors away. Not too far away, Goku watched in awe. He smirked, an overwhelming desire to fight suddenly filling his body. Ignoring his current opponent, he raced toward Kale and the two began engaging in a ferocious exchange of fists.

"Amazing," Goku marvelled as he fought Kale in his super saiyan form. "You know, you remind me of someone I met long ago!" The woman punched him in the face with no holds barred. "Yowch! Now you definitely seem familiar!"

Kale seemed to be further incensed by his words and started attacking even harder and faster.

* * *

Caulifla was busy berating herself through the pain she felt in her lower abdomen when a strong arm loop around her waist, the unbalanced force cancelling her inertia - and just in time too, any further and she would have fallen and suffered he pain of defeat and Champa's whining. She glanced up and saw Hit's stern visage staring back down at her. "T-thanks..."

"Be more careful next time."

Caulifla sneered at his retreating back, her saiyan pride wounded. _Be more careful... who does he think he is?_

 _"OII! CAULIFLA!"_ Champa bellowed from the bleachers, his purple fist in the air. "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT!" He turned to Hit's general direction. "NICE JOB HIT! TAKE THEM ALL DOWN!"

Caulifla snorted and rolled her eyes before powering back up into an ascended super saiyan, having dropped out of the form when Jiren launched her across the stage with a single hit. _And it was like he wasn't even trying!_

She frowned when she saw Kale fighting the saiyan Goku. Though the match looked like a deadlock, it was clear Goku had the advantage, despite only being a super saiyan. Kale's attacks were devastating, but only if Goku allowed himself to be hit by them. As much as Caulifla hated to admit it, Kale didn't stand a chance against the male. Her mind made up, she headed to the fighters with intentions to do a double team with Kale to eliminate Goku from the game.

A spark of excitement lit up Goku's irises when he found himself having to block both Caulifla's and Kale's attacks. With a shout, he ascended to match Caulifla's form and knocked Kale away with a punch to the abdomen, much like what Jiren had done to Caulifla.

"Grr..." Caulifla snarled, angry at what a Goku had done to her protégée. "You'll pay for that! Especially when Universe 6 survives and I become a Super Saiyan Blue!"

Goku parried her blows and went on the offensive, forcing Caulifla to block and dodge. "Do you even know how to achieve that form, Cauli?" he said, slightly winded. "I was only able to get it with the combined power of other saiyan...!"

Caulifla scowled, about to berate him for calling her 'Cauli' before she changed her mind. "That's absurd! Where's your pride, huh?!" Goku's palms curled around her firsts as he flung her through the air, her petite frame slamming through several layers of debris. Albeit being wounded more than she would have liked, she shot through the air and began fighting him once more. "And what about that other saiyan - Vegeta right? Is he as spineless as you are?" Somewhat empowered by her own words, she sent a fist straight into Goku's face, dazing him slightly.

"No, actually," he said with a grin. "Do you have an earth in your universe?"

Caught off guard by the question, Caulifla was sent flying into Cabba, who was fighting Android 17, one of Goku's comrades.

"What is this earth?" demanded Caulifla, rocketing toward Goku. "Is it necessary for the transformation?"

"Not really," replied Goku in a nonchalant manner. "You're missing out though! Earth has great food!" He frowned slightly, thinking. "But if I remember right, there should be an earth in your universe! After all, Beerus did wish for the earth and the humans to be restored in Universe 6..."

"So I'm guessing it's a planet? What does that have to do with super saiyan blue?" A warrior with huge muscles tried to interfere with their battle but Caulifla easily sent him away with an axe kick.

"Well... earth has real good food - that's how Vegeta managed to achieve super saiyan blue! By bribing Whis to train him on Beerus' planet!"

Caulifla blinked once, then twice, not even registering that they were no longer fighting but instead talking. "You're joking."

"Nope!"

Before Caulifla could even contemplate a response, she noticed that most, if not all, of the fighters had ceased battle and were staring at something occurring near the where the centre column was. Even Freeza, who was in the midst of torturing a weaker competitor, halted his act.

"What's going on?" wondered Goku, voicing what they were all thinking at that moment.

Without even uttering a single word, Jiren had somehow managed to incapacitate Kale. The berserker's lime glow was slowly flickering as Jiren silently held Kale by her shirt collar. Then, with Kale still trapped around his grip, he made his way toward the edge of the stage.

Snapping out of the trance, she launched herself toward Kale. "NO!" She felt something familiar stop her in her tracks, and saw Hit's hands on her shoulders. Sinking to her knees, Caulifla watched helplessly as Jiren dropped Kale off the side of the ring, the unconscious girl now back in her base form. Everyone heard Champa howl in rage as Kale's still form appeared at his feet, her unbound hair fanning around her worry-free face.

"No... Kale...!" Caulifla glared at Hit as the fighting resumed, "You traitor!"

Hit gave her a flat stare. "Would you have preferred to join her? Let me remind you, Caulifla, that our universe is at stake."

Caulifla trembled in fury. "Bastard...!"

"Cauli?"

Caulifla glared dangerously at Goku. "I _will_ defeat you." With a yell, she attacked him, launching her fists and feet left and right in cold malevolence. The area between her shoulder blades burned as the two saiyans pummelled each other, Caulifla's attacks becoming increasingly frantic and sloppy. Sensing an opening on ether flank, Goku struck her there, kicking her into the time pillar just as another minute ticked by, causing the tower to collapse slightly. The movement sent tremors down her body and the burning sensation grew unbearable.

Goku jumped up to where Caulifla was embedded, preparing a Kamehameha. _She's pretty close to transforming. Heh. She'll thank me later._

Caulifla opened her eyes just as Goku chanted the final syllable of his signature attack. "HAAAA!"

A large blue beam of chi shot out from Goku's open palms and Cabba took a moment out of his fight with 17 to stare in horror at Caulifla's impending doom.

"So much power!" cried Shin. "What is he doing? That will kill her!"

"Damn it Goku!" snarled Beerus. "Is that dolt _trying_ to get us erased?!"

Elder Kai stared intently at Goku. _Surely he's got some sort of plan..._

A mighty explosion ensued when the beam came into contact with something, sending smoke billowing across the entire arena. The warriors continued fighting, unperturbed by Caulifla's supposed death. Botamo and Magetta gave a sorrowful glance to where Caulifla was last seen before returning their attention to Vegeta, who they had cornered.

As the smoke dispersed, a golden glow could be seen in Caulifla's place. Suddenly it vanished and Goku was sent flying backward, courtesy of an incredibly pissed off Caulifla.

Goku got up and smiled genuinely at her. "You did it Cauli!"

Super saiyan 3 Caulifla merely scowled at him and resumed her attack. With a grin, Goku transformed to have his own power match his, and the two warriors duked it out once more, this time with an added ferocity.

"Gee, you've gotten a lot stronger!" Goku commented as he dodged her punch.

Caulifla smirked, reminding Goku of a certain saiyan prince. "I suppose I should thank you... I won't hurt you too badly!" She flew backward and launched a gigantic red energy ball at him, which he blocked and pushed up into the air. The saiyan male phased in front of her, throwing a punch at her face which she parried. _I need to end this quickly,_ thought Caulifla. _This form drains a shit ton of energy._

Using both of his fists, he hit Caulifla into the ground. While she was stunned, he shot a volley of chi blasts at her. Breathing raggedly, Caulifla stood up to face Goku, her energy fluctuating wildly.

"Tired?" Goku said in a mocking tone.

Caulifla gritted her teeth and continued to viciously attack him. "Why - won't you - just stay - STILL!" Though she still contained the fire within her, her moves were noticeably slower and uncoordinated to Goku than before. She was burning her energy fast and the end result wasn't going to be pretty.

"You've done well, Cauli," Goku told her. "But I've had years to train this form." Leaving an afterimage behind, her appeared in front of her, a chi blast fully formed in his hand. "HAAA!" The blast hit her point blank and carried her to the edge of the stage and below.

As she fell into the void below, shame and frustration filled her and, closing her eyes, she returned to her base form.

* * *

Caulifla opened her eyes, blinking. She was alive. How long had she been out? She looked out toward the ring and saw that the time pillar was quite near the ground.

"You're up," said Botamo, who looked rather sheepish. He and Magetta had been knocked out of the competition in a rather humiliating manner. Just as they were about to send Vegeta tumbling into the void, Freeza of all people jumped in to help Vegeta. The cruel Arcosian had knocked Botamo off Magetta's shoulders in a surprise attack, leaving the robot vulnerable to Vegeta's cutting insults. Freeza had then tied Botamo up in a similar fashion to what Vegeta had done earlier and used the giant bear as a bowling ball to bowl a quivering Magetta off the stage, sending Botamo after him as well.

"Who's left?" Caulifla wondered out loud, scanning the stage. "There's Hit, of course. And... Cabba and Frost."

Most of the universes had been eliminated by this stage. The only Universes left were Universe 6, 7, 11 and 12, with Universe 11 having the most members left. Not too far away on the bleachers were the eliminated Universe 7 warriors: Kuririn, 18, Muten Roshi, Tienshinhan, Vegeta and Piccolo.

Standing together in one group were the Universe 11 Pride Troopers, firing attacks in all directions.

 _We'd better win._ Caulifla narrowed her eyes. _Come on!_

* * *

There we're only eight minutes left until the end of the tournament and she still breathed - still existed. Hit was the last member of Universe 6 left on the stage, Cabba and Frost having been eliminated by Toppo and Gohan respectively.

* * *

In the final five minutes, Goku, Jiren and Hit faced off. It was going to be a tight match and Caulifla knew that.

* * *

Surprisingly, Jiren was the first to be knocked out. Belmod had stared in disbelief when Jiren was sent to the bleachers and Universe 11 was erased. Goku and Hit had formed an alliance against Jiren and the combined forces of the two powerhouses had finally out Jiren and Universe 11 out of the tournament - and existence - for good.

* * *

Caulifla swallowed in pure, unadulterated fear as she watched Hit fall off the stage, Goku wrapped around him in a kamikaze attack. The two warriors spun around in the void, Hit having exhausted his time skip ability and a Goku about to fall unconscious. Just as they were going to reach the part of the eternal abyss that would send them back to the bleachers, Goku turned their positions around so that Hit went first.

* * *

Her existence ceased.

* * *

 _ **A/N: This is honestly just a test chapter and a oneshot. I might consider it making it into a multi chapter fic as I originally wrote this for Caulifla shipping purposes (hue).**_

 ** _Why does Goku call her Cauli: ...Caulifla's a bit of a mouthful 0u0_**


	2. Crossing the threshold

The twin smiles etched on the faces of the Omni-Kings were more chilling than they were infectious. After the tournament had ended, the Zenos summoned the Universe 7 team and its divine representatives.

"Goku!" both Zenos said in unison, obviously pleased that their friend had survived the grueling battle royal.

"Yo," greeted Goku, looking worse for wear. Behind him, Team Universe 7 watched his every move.

The Grand Priest floated in front of the Omni-Kings, but not in a way which obscured them; instead, he hovered a bit to the side. "Congratulations. As promised, the prize is one wish using the super dragon balls."

Snarling silently, Freeza, in his unsealed form, roughly grabbed Goku by the arm and hissed in his ear, "That wish is mine! You gave me your word, monkey, and you _will_ give me that wish."

"Hehe, about that..."

Whis, noticing the commotion, addressed his father. "May we have time to discuss what we want to wish for?"

"Of course."

The warriors huddled to the side; most of them had no desire for any wishes and had simply competed for the sake of the universe, but there were also those who wished to have their greatest fancy granted. Namely, Android 18 and Freeza, the latter's time in the living world slowly ticking away.

"You promised us," 18 began, briefly turning to Kuririn, "a money prize. 10 million zeni to be exact." Before they had left Capsule Corp for the World of Void, 18 had declined Bulma's hearty donation. Bulma was her friend after all and 18 didn't want to be mooching off a friend.

"Hah!" scoffed Freeza, his tail twirling irritably in the air. "That's nothing. After all, the saiyan did promise me a resurrection."

Vegeta glared dangerously at his former master. "If that idiot actually decides to revive you, I'll send you back to hell myself!"

"Really now, Vegeta. How quaint of you - you cannot possibly hope to defeat me now that I have found the perfect balance within my body. I outclass you in every way, shape and form."

Before a full-scale argument could break out, Goku turned to the Zenos. "We've decided!"

"Eh?!"

"Good, good!" cheered the Omni-Kings, silencing protests. "Hurry, hurry!" they urged the Grand Priest. "Let's go outside and summon the dragon!"

Once they were outside, everyone tensed for the summoning of Super Shenlong.

The Grand Priest smiled. "Come forth, Dragon of the Gods, and grant my wish pretty peas!"

"Pretty peas?" Beerus echoed, still unsure of the meaning.

The mystical Super Shenlong appeared from the balls in dramatic flair, his serpentine body twisting and glowing. Being so large, his body continued to unravel outside of the perimeter of the Omni-Kings' temple. The dragon was bigger than galaxies - it wasn't anything at all like summoning Shenlong in Bulma's backyard.

Freeza scowled terribly at the miserable Son Goku and the two Zenos. If the saiyan didn't wish for Freeza's resurrection there would be hell to pay. The Arcorsian watched Goku closely as he addressed the dragon. "Super Shenlong! I wish for all the universes and its inhabitants erased in the Tournament to be restored!"

"You cheating bastar-!" Freeza angrily shouted before his eyes rolled to the back of his head. He collapsed forward, revealing Beerus with his hand held in a chopping position.

"Tch."

The Grand Priest and Super Shenlong exchanged a few words in Godly Language before something bright flashed; the wish had been granted.

* * *

Kale sat up screaming, her eyes bloodshot and her pupils dilated. She clutched her chest, digging her nails into the flesh beneath her top. She was made hyper-aware of her heart beating within her chest cavity and each breath she took made her shudder. Her head pounded like she had just drank ten gallons of moonshine the night before - not that she would _really_ know what that felt like...

"Kale?"

Kale's eyes widened as she met Cabba's gaze. The male was on all-fours and breathing heavily, his chest heaving as he inhaled and exhaled. "C-Cabba...!" With a sob, she got up on trembling knees and moved toward him, capturing him in a heartfelt embrace - oh how good it felt to see a familiar face!

"Gak! Kale! You're stronger than you look." Nevertheless, Cabba returned the hug, feeling the ridge of her shoulder blades as he held her. Something wet seeped into the back of his shirt and it took him a moment to register her tears.

"We're alive," she said through a strangled sob. "Oh, we're alive..."

 _Not just that,_ thought Cabba, _we_ exist!

To their side, Magetta and Botamo were beginning to stir, while Champa reappeared as graceful as a baby horse on skates, somehow materializing upside down and tumbling down the bleachers. Hit, Frost and the Kaioshin of Universe 6 were already fully awake and observing their surroundings. Their existence was restored in the same place where they had been erased - the World of Void.

When Kale finally pulled away from Cabba, the others were celebrating their existence - Champa even went as far as to declare that he would "be more serious with his dieting from now on".

"Where's Caulifla?" asked Cabba, looking for a spiky mass of raven hair. "Wasn't she revived with us?"

"She should have been," mumbled Kale, nervously shuffling her feet. Without Caulifla, she felt vulnerable among her peers. "Where _is_ sis?"

* * *

Caulifla had been the first to awaken from her stupor. She had known that the others would soon wake and decided to take a walk around the bleachers to clear her head. The saiyan remembered everything clearly - how Goku had eliminated her, how Jiren had taken her down with one punch and, of course, her new transformation. Her body was free of its wounds, those having been healed when she was wished back. Down at the ring, she saw the Pride Troopers gathered, talking amongst themselves. She frowned. In her short time of knowing them, their little cadre rubbed her metaphorical fur the wrong way. She saw them straight away for what they were - people who dedicated their lives in pissing people off with their nonsensical ideals. They talked big because they had rules on their side. Caulifla didn't care how politely they did it; at the end of the day it was all about flexing muscle.

She let her thoughts wander until, in her mind's eye, a vision of Son Goku appeared. Caulifla shook her head. _Do not think about that... that spineless son of a bitch! So what if he has power? It's not like that's something totally unreachable to me. After all... I am a prodigy.  
_

Around her, she could see the other universes slowly dispersing and returning to their beloved homes. Their angels, put in stasis when their universes were erased, had returned to take them home and serve their gods of destruction once more. Soon, Universe 6 was the only one left. Now that the crowds were gone, her teammates could clearly see her fuchsia crop top and purple bell-bottoms.

"Hey, Caulifla!" called Cabba, looking slightly relieved. "Come on, we're about to leave!"

Sighing through her nose, Caulifla gave a nod and headed toward them. _After this fiasco I'm not sure if I want to face home again. Without Frost leading us, the empire's been torn to ruins. And I seriously doubt he would just take up his position again after so long. The boys at home..._ the faces of her loyal followers flashed through her mind. _I'm sure they'll be fine. Ayote has been pestering me for co-commandment anyway. The guy's a natural born leader._

"Caulifla?" Vados said, turning to the female saiyan as they flew through the World of Void and into Universe 6. "Something on your mind?"

Caulifla blinked, stunned that the angel would even address her. "Yes," she admitted, realizing something. "You can travel between universes right?"

* * *

"GOKU!" Chi Chi cried, throwing her arms around her husband as soon as he landed. "Thank goodness you're okay...!"

"Aw Cheech," chuckled Goku, embracing his wife, the woman he would always come back to after a battle - the woman who constantly brought a loving smile to his face despite her overbearing nature.

"Bulma told me everything," Chi Chi told him, her voice sharper. "I can't believe you! Your urge to fight could have gotten the entire universe erased!" Her frying pan, which she always kept close to her at all times, slammed over her husband's head. "Just what do you have to say for yourself, Goku?"

"Ehehe... sorry?" He gave her a sheepish grin, which made her sigh and close her eyes.

"Oh, Goku. I can never stay mad at you." She hugged him once again. "I love you, Goku, more than you will ever know. I just want you to be safe, not fighting for your life all the time!"

"Dad!" yelled Goten, streaking through the air in a burst of white aura. "Dad, dad, dad!" His eyes shone in excitement. "You'll never believe what happened while you were gone!" He rambled and ranted on and on about how he, Trunks and even _Marron_ kicked some poacher butt. Like always, the greed of humans had polluted the 17's island, but the three kids managed to chase them out with the help of some of island's animal inhabitants and well aimed chi blasts.

"I hope you looked after Marron," Goku said. "She's still young and not as strong as you and Trunks."

"MMMHM!" Goten beamed proudly. "The worst she got was a little scratch from a stick and I put a band-aid on it so it's all good!"

"Why, Goten, I think you've gotten taller!" gasped Chi Chi, admiring her son's new height. He was nearly eleven years old but up until this point, he hadn't grown at all since he was seven.

"Really?!"

With a smile, Goku left his wife and youngest son to their own devices. He had another thing to deal with - a very pissed off Arcorsian actually. He saluted Chi Chi. "Gohan's gonna come by soon! He wanted to see Videl and Pan first." With that, he used Instant Transmission to teleport to Capsule Corp, where Vegeta, Beerus and Whis were, the latter pigging out on the Briefs' cook's delicious food.

"You were right, Vegeta!" chimed Whis. "Steak really is _so_ much better with Granny's Secret Sauce!"

Whis' delight did nothing to help Vegeta's anxious perspiration. The lengths he had gone to to obtain that sauce were worthy of at least a hundred criminal records. When Bulma had asked, he refused to tell her about it, stating that it was simply none of her business.

"Goku," said Beerus, picking at his teeth with a claw. "What are you going to do about that Freeza?"

Goku scratched his head in thought. "Well, I did promise to revive him. And I don't like going back on promises..."

"Idiot," snorted Vegeta. "If your roles were swapped, he would never do the same for you."

"True, but still! I was thinking of using Namek's dragon balls to revive him but there's some pretty bad blood between Freeza and the Namekians."

"What's this about dragon balls?" Bulma chirped, pushing open the glass door with her hip. She held a giant platter of nachos, cheese, salsa and guacamole. "Here you go Whis, Beerus!" The god and angels' eyes widened as she put down the delectable dish on their table. "Bon appetite!"

As the deities dug in, Goku quickly explained the situation to Bulma and she frowned, her blue brows knitting together. "I say let him rot in hell! Are you forgetting that he killed Vegeta on Namek? And that's just the tip of the iceberg!"

"But Bulma! I made a promise."

"Forget the promise! I'm not letting you near the dragon radar, so don't even bother to ask."

Goku sighed in defeat. "Fine. Hold on..." He teleported away.

* * *

"Ahh, the lovely summer wind!" Kaiō-sama uttered dreamily, forgetting that there were no seasons on his tiny planet. He was currently taking his beloved car for a drive, going slow enough for Bubbles to job alongside the vehicle. "This really helps settle my nerves. I hope this can last forever..."

Suddenly, Goku materialized right in front of the car. Kaiō-sama shrieked in terror and stepped on the brakes, swerving the car all over the place and capsizing it. Goku blinked. "Whoops, sorry Kaiō-sama!"

"GOKU!"

"Hehehe... I'll just be going now..." he brought his fingers up to his forehead, easily finding the chi signatures of the Namekians. "There!" Before Kaiō-sama could yell at him for damaging his car beyond repair, he disappeared.

"My car...!"

Bubbles shook his head and left the sobbing god, deciding that the deity needed some time to himself.

* * *

Half an hour later, Goku reappeared in Capsule Corp, looking a little flustered. "I was wrong," he said more to himself than anyone else. "'No' wasn't the worst thing they could possibly say."

"Looks like you'll have to tell Freeza the bad news then," Bulma stated, putting a certain emphasis on 'bad news' to indicate that she really didn't think it was bad news at all. "Where is he anyway?"

"With Lord Enma, expecting to be revived," replied Goku. "I checked on him earlier. Thank Kami he didn't see me! Well, this whole thing was a bust. I'll just head home now. Bye guys!"

* * *

"How long till we reach Earth?" Caulifla asked Vados. The angel had explained a lot of need-to-know things about Universe 7's earth and it's prominent race - a weak species that resembled saiyans. Vados had called them humans, and just like the saiyans, the humans were also descended from the ape.

"Twenty five minutes!" chirped the Angel.

"Tch, you could watch an entire anime episode in that time!"

"Heehee, patience, Caulifla! You'll get there soon enough."

"Right."

True to Vados' word, twenty five minutes later, they landed in a desert area. Caulifla raised an eyebrow, unimpressed with the place. "Isn't it supposed to be occupied?"

"It's quite a big planet," Vados answered, "not the biggest around of course, but much, much bigger than Planet Sadala. I should go now - Champa is getting more and more demanding with his... 'diet food'." She looked at her blinking staff and answered it. An irritated Champa was on the other end of the line. Vados smiled. "Like I said, Caulifla, demanding. If you ever want to return home, just tell Whis to give me a ring."

"Yeah... thanks Vados."

As soon as the angel left, Caulifla blasted off into the sky, expanding her chi senses. _There're a lot of weak energies around here - probably the humans._ An anomaly caught her attention. It was huge - the largest on the planet. _It doesn't feel like Goku or Vegeta or even that golden lizard creep._ This definitely warranted some investigation. Judging by the amount of chi the mysterious being was generating, it wasn't any real threat to Caulifla, but the saiyan was curious. What kind of human could generate such a large power? It had to be one of the humans in the Universe 7 Team but she couldn't tell which one.

The trail led her to a small island. Occupying the island was a frivolous looking thing - a garish pink house. Caulifla couldn't tell which one hurt her eyes more - the sunlight reflecting off the ocean or the unfortunate color of the house. She landed on the veranda and rapped her fist across the wooden door, smirking. "Knock knock, little human."

* * *

Kamesenin was finishing up his playboy magazines in the loo when someone knocked smartly on the door. "Ack!" he shoved the magazines in a nearby basket meant for storing said magazines. "Hold on, I'm coming!"

Muten Roshi just managed to secure his pants when the door burst open, revealing Caulifla. The old man's eyes bulged and he had to refrain from a nosebleed. Though he had trained his mind against young gals for the tournament, once he picked up his porn magazines, his mindset reverted back to that of a perverted old man. "Hehehe! How can I help you, little lady?"

"Cut the crap, old man," Caulifla said, scowling. She sized him up and instantly pinpointed him as a lowkey sexual predator. "You're pretty strong. I bet you know where Goku is. Why can't I sense him?"

The turtle hermit's face fell. _Darn! Why does Goku get all the hot chicks? This was the kid who brought back a mermaid for my 'pretty girl' test! That dope has all the luck, doesn't he?_ "Ahem, well, that's because he's suppressing his power level. He normally does that in order not to attract any threats from outer space. He's likely resting after the tournament at home. _With his wife_ ," he added pointedly. He knew he was dancing with death here, but he felt it was necessary to give this lady a hint or two.

"Oh? Where is this home of his?"

"Somewhere in the mountains. I haven't been there for a real long time... I'm an old man you know, I can't remember everything. You'd have better luck asking the Briefs or a police officer. But unless you wanna tangle with Vegeta, I suggest the latter as a safer option. Just look for a man or woman in a uniform - they're probably it."

"I'm not a weakling. I can handle myself," snapped Caulifla. "But thanks for the info, gramps." She gave him a two finger salute before taking off into the air.

As soon as she was out of earshot, the turtle hermit snorted. "Like hell I was gonna tell her where Goku lived." He stretched and sauntered over to his television set. "Aerobics time!" _Though I have to wonder... what does she want with Goku? Maybe they're having an adulterous affair?! What a scandal that'd be!_

* * *

Caulifla's gang was in shambles. Ayote turned out to be a terrible leader - none of the others would listen to his orders. Kale ducked away when she saw Ayote look around pleadingly at anyone who might give him the time of day. _Oh sis... where are you now? Why would you want to go to Universe 7? Is it because of that other saiyan?_ Her fists clenched. _Why would you leave me behind sis?_ To be fair, Caulifla had invited her along but the shy saiyan had refused in the hopes of convincing Caulifla to stay. Looking at the ruined gang, Kale sighed. This place was her home - but without Caulifla, there was no heart in the home, and she knew that her true home was where the heart was. _It's gonna be scary... but I have to do it! For Caulifla! Cabba said he would be having tea with Renso. Maybe I can convince him to come with me._ Her head was telling her to submit to Ayote and become his follower but her heart was in an entirely different headspace.

It was easy to leave without anyone noticing. No one noticed shy, little Kale on a normal day anyway. Her mind was totally made up. She would enlist Cabba's help to follow Caulifla and maybe bring her back to Universe 6 and Sadala if they could. But something told her that Caulifla wasn't going to be finished with Universe 7 and Earth for a long, long time. She gave the gang a silent goodbye before trekking to Renso's house.

* * *

 _ **A/N: SCHOOL'S STARTING TOMORROW. CRIPES. SASAGEYO SsASAgEYoOO! Look's like the story's not done yet. I apologize for all the stupid grammar mistakes I made in chapter one. I wrote the entire thing on iPad and no red lines show up. I need to adjust to Shingeki's new opening. I'm chanting sasageyo like I'm in a cult... maybe I'm too adjusted. I need a fic where Gohan literally goes ape on the titans.**_

 _ **I don't know who I ship yet but I'm leaning toward Caulifla/Goku. Was contemplating Caulifla/Cabba or Caulifla/Hit also. I don't ship Caulifla/Kale unfortunately. I'm all for a good yuri but I see Caulifla and Kale more as sisters than lovers (though Kale's attitude might be bordering the lover line hehe).**_

 _ **Will Kale and Cabba find Caulifla?! (lol probably)**_

 _ **What anime does Caulifla watch?!**_

 _ **Will Champa finally lose weight?!**_

 _ **I HAVE NO IDEA! (besides the first one)**_


	3. Rematch

"Let's eat, everyone!" Chi Chi announced, clicking her chopsticks. In celebration of Universe 7's survival, the restoration of the other universes and Goku's return home, the Son matron had prepared a huge feast for the family. Gohan, Videl and Pan had also dropped by for lunch, and while the affair was sure to be quiet, it was something that they would treasure.

Without waiting another second, every single saiyan (except Pan, who was still a baby) at the table ripped into their food, grabbing stir fry and pork chops while shovelling ramen into their mouths. Chi Chi made an exasperated noise but smiled anyway. This was _her_ family, no matter how odd they were. Cooking enough food for two hundred normal people was worth the labour if she could see her family so delighted.

"Saiyans," Gyu-Mao said jokingly. "I bet if I reached into their stomachs I wouldn't even touch the bottom!"

Pan giggled as Videl spoon-fed her some tender pork flesh. The young mother smiled and scooped food onto her own plate before feeding her daughter more. "How do you do this, Chi Chi? Even my dad's old cook would have trouble dishing up so much!"

"It comes with practice, dear," Chi Chi told her, glad that Videl was taking an interest in cooking. The human girl was a good cook, and Chi Chi believed that, with the right training, she would become an amazing housewife one day.

As the Son family enjoyed their meal, laughing and talking, unaware that their family ties were about to be broken.

* * *

She had told herself not to think about him, but something pulled her toward Goku. Caulifla stared blankly ahead as she contemplated her situation. How hard she had tried to pull away from Goku and Universe 7. But there something strangely addicting - something that gave her thrill. _He's my enemy,_ she reminded herself. _So why would I seek him out? Just what the hell draws me to him?_ It was the urge to fight, she concluded. He had kicked her ass into the ground during the tournament but Caulifla refused to believe that he would stay superior to her for long. Now she wanted a rematch that would shake the heavens. She had not yet trained her latest super saiyan form - she was hoping that a spar with Goku might provide for that. The female saiyan grinned wickedly as she imagined punching him through a chain of mountains. The thought of a fight made her blood race with anticipation but, secretly, she was hoping that he would take her under his wing. It was something that she herself could not come to accept, instead strongly denying it. But deep down she knew that in order to achieve those godly levels she would need a teacher. The earth-raised saiyan fitted the brief, so why not?

At first, Caulifla considered going to the earth police for help, but she figured that these humans wouldn't react well to the likes of her. Then there was the Briefs - Vegeta's family. There hadn't been much exchange between her and Vegeta but she knew that he was nearly as strong as Goku. Goku was irritating to say the least. He was so much stronger than her - that fact alone already made her kill him and spit on his grave. Also, he called her 'Cauli', which further incensed her. No one had called her that since she and Renso had been children on Sadala. It was a nickname exclusive only to family. Not even Kale, who she considered her soul sister, was allowed to refer to her as 'Cauli'.

A red haze descended upon her gaze, and the rain-that-was-not-rain flashed through her mind. The wetness and stickiness of the blood as she crawled into bed with dead bodies, unaware they were nothing more than cadavers. She grimaced and pushed the memory away, choosing instead to focus on the times she and Renso had spent together. Their spars and hunting sessions gave way to a more unpleasant memory: Caulifla screaming at Renso and disowning him as her brother when he willing conscripted himself into the Sadala Defence Forces.

Not too far away she could feel a small band of chis, the highest at around ninety. _Huh. I'm surprised he can suppress his power so low._ She didn't bother to lower her own power level. She had no doubt Goku had already sensed her and would be on guard. Caulifla slowed down in her flight to briefly observe the Son family's picnic. The food smelled so enticing and Caulifla realized she hadn't ate since Cabba recruited her during their first meeting. Her stomach growled as it pleaded for food. She floated down lightly in front of them, her arms crossed over her chest. "Son Goku."

Instead of reacting with hostility like she had expected, Goku threw up one of his arms in greeting. "Hey Cauli!" he greeted happily through a mouthful of pork chops. "Glad to see you're okay."

 _What the hell? I get that he's brain dead and shit but we're supposed to be enemies! Why is he being so chummy-chummy?_ Her thoughts made its way through her scowl.

"Goku?" Chi Chi said, scowling back at Caulifla. "Who is this?" Her voice trembled slightly with an emotion Caulifla could not recognize. Fear perhaps? No, she had encountered plenty of fear in her lifetime and this was not it.

"She was a competitor in the Zeno's tournament," Gohan answered for Goku, blinking curiously at the sight of the female saiyan. Goku made some sort of noise to confirm Gohan's statement. "Universe 6 if I remember correctly, right?"

"Yes," said Caulifla. "And if you haven't already guessed, I need to speak with Goku."

"Oh no you don't missy!" snapped Chi Chi, standing up and slamming her palms on the picnic table. "Just who do you think you are, barging in and making demands?! Get out of here! Goku doesn't want to see you, you-you hussy!" She snarled the insult, disapprovingly eyeing her attire. Suddenly, Caulifla had a very good idea what the emotion she had been displaying before was.

"Don't be like that, Cheech," Goku chided. "It's not like _that!_ I bet she wants to fight me if anything."

"Is it an earth culture to marry inferior women?" sneered Caulifla, the hussy insult still stinging. "If someone as stupid as you can figure it out-"

Chi Chi glared at her and cut her off with an unintelligible noise which sounded like a cross between a splutter and a sneeze.

Goku stood up, ready to pacify the catfight that was bound to eventually happen. He didn't know whether to be terrified or thankful when Chi Chi turned away from Caulifla to stare down her husband. "You'd better beat her ass to defend my honor!" she told him vehemently. "Come back before sundown and _no_ funny business, you hear me, mister?!"

Goku broke out into a wide grin. "Deal! Thanks Chi Chi!"

* * *

The two saiyans landed in a rocky landscape, which was part of a dry, arid desert - the Gizard Wasteland to be exact. It was where Goku and Vegeta had first fought in a clash of the titans and Goku found it appropriate for the land to host what was sure to be another epic battle.

"Ready?" Goku prompted Caulifla, shifting into his trademark fighting stance.

Caulifla tipped her head to one sight in a purely feline manner. "You're not going super saiyan?"

"Nah, I prefer to start slow."

Caulifla moved into her own stance, her eyes concentrated on his unmoving form. "Well bully for you then because I'm going super saiyan." Without even a yell, she transformed, her already gravity defying hair spiking upwards in a golden aura. Her teal eyes flashed. "Are _you_ ready?" Goku's smirk told her all she needed to know and Caulifla shot forward.

"HAAH!" She feinted and phased through him, tossing a chi blast at him. Goku deflected the blast and flew at her, exchanging a multitude of blows. One of her strikes caught him in the gut and he winced slightly, feeling his half-digested meal complain. Seeing the opening that he gave her, she through a punch at his head, missing by a hair as he ducked and grabbed her waist between his longer legs. _What the hell is he doing?!_ With a battle cry, he threw her spinning into the air, momentarily disorientating her. He then teleported to where she was drifting and forcefully hit her into the desert floor.

"See that?" Goku called out to her from the air. "Even without super saiyan I can still take you on."

"Don't mock me!" Caulifla snapped, shooting from the small crater her rough landing had created. Goku was still insanely powerful even in his base form. He could easily match her in speed and power. It was either time for her to go beyond super saiyan or figure out a strategy to subdue him. _He's a natural fighter. He doesn't even need to think about what he's doing._ A warrior's instinct was something not many had and Caulifla found herself admiring him because of it. Her blood boiled as the fight continued, her own warrior's instinct coming into play as she dodged and deflected his chi blasts.

Goku froze in the air and cupped his hands together. "KA...ME...HA...ME..."

At the same time, Caulifla decided to show off her talent for mimicking attacks. "KA...ME...HA...ME..." It was going to be a huge beam struggle. But who _didn't_ love a good beam struggle?

* * *

Gohan sneezed. "Weird..."

"Something wrong, dear?" asked Videl, holding Pan in her arms. "Is it about that new saiyan?"

"No, no... I wasn't even thinking about her. I don't know why but I suddenly thought about Cell and that," he shuddered, "one-armed kamehameha I did."

"It's okay Gohan, try not to think about it."

* * *

"HAAAA!" screamed both Caulifla and Goku, launching their attacks at each other, Goku's blue beam meeting Caulifla's red one. The energy attacks caused the entire Gizard Wasteland to tremble; stone pillars crumbled and even entire plateaus and mesas collapsed due to the high amount of energy being generated.

Caulifla pushed more chi into her kamehameha, resulting in it having a higher energy output than Goku's. Slowly but surely, the red light began to devour its blue counterpart.

Just as the red beam was about consume the blue completely, Goku suddenly erupted into a mass of golden aura, turning super saiyan right before Caulifla's eyes. Almost instantly, the blue kamehameha recovered and quickly finished off Caulifla's. The female saiyan put her hands in front of her to block the attack and hopefully push it toward the sky. "Hrrk," she grunted as the energy burned her hands. "Haa...AAH!" With great exertion, she launched it into space.

Goku landed on a rocky slope. "Not bad, Cauli!"

"Please," said Caulifla, "that was nothing." Though what had just ensued had taken its toll on her body, she still had plenty of energy left to spare.

Goku smirked and disappeared, not even leaving an afterimage behind. Caulifla sensed him reappearing to her left and again they traded blows. This time it was Goku who slipped past her defenses, causing Caulifla's eyes to widen. She rolled instinctively, his fist skimming across the small of her back before she quickly adjusted herself and sparred him fiercely once more.

Something hot grazed her cheek and she found herself dodging a volley of blue energy projectiles, each one with a high concentration of power behind them. Thinking quickly, she took the risk and went on the offensive, gracefully as well as not-so-gracefully avoiding his chi blasts. She jabbed at him ferociously, and to his credit, he managed to parry her flying fists. Using his elbow, he struck her in the face, sending her backwards.

"Why don't you go super saiyan two?" Goku recommended.

"I was about to, thank you very much," she huffed, feeling the familiar power of the ascended super saiyan form encompass her body. Dust flew into the air as she charged, and Goku found himself bending backwards to avoid her elbow and knee strikes.

 _Damn!_ thought Goku as she punched him through a crumbling rock formation. _She's already gotten stronger in super saiyan 2 since we last fought. I'll have to up my game._ Caulifla continued to attack him mercilessly, droplets of blood flying into the air as a right hook struck him right in the face. She swung her fist again but Goku caught it mid-strike, having transformed into super saiyan two.

Her mind was growing cloudy with pain as Goku began his counter attack, pummeling her into several stone structures and leaving her lying in the dust. She was strong in her super saiyan two form but Goku was stronger. She spat a gob of spit and blood before flying forward and seizing his spiky hair.

"Hey - what!" His scalp burned as she pulled onto his blonde locks. Caulifla flipped back, bringing Goku with her, releasing him at an angle. "No fair!" he pouted, making Caulifla smile.

"This is a fight! Who said anything about being fair?"

"Heh." Faster than Caulifla could follow, Goku was super saiyan 3 and his fist was embedded in her sternum.

"Huuk!" Caulifla choked, blood rising in her throat. Black spots invaded her vision, white light protruding through the gaps. "F-fuck..." _No! I refuse to give up!_ She cried fiercely, pushing through the pain and tossing her head back as she continued to scream, her hair gradually becoming longer. When her transformation was complete, she glared at Goku. "Cheap shot, bastard."

"This is a fight!" Goku replied, mimicking her voice in good-natured teasing. "Who said anything about cheap shots?"

"...I'm going to make sure there won't be anymore Goku Jr.s running around," she said darkly. "Prepare yourself, Goku!"

The pair shifted into their battle stances once more, staring each other down. This time, Goku attacked first, moving left and right and then jabbing at her directly between the eyes. Caulifla moved her head to the side, grappling arms with Goku and then attempting to sweep her leg beneath his. But then he did that _utterly annoying_ move of his again, capturing her leg between his own and rocketing her away from him.

Caulifla growled and got up. Her energy was fading faster than she had anticipated, even more so than it had when she first transformed in the Tournament of Power. _It must be all that damage I took before. Goku hardly looks any better but he's got another transformation up his sleeve._ She was going to lose, she realized. But the day she simply rolled over in defeat would be the day hell froze over. She was going down swinging no matter what.

Goku had to admit, this woman had a lot of fight in her. She was on the verge of collapsing but she still fought on. As she tired, he found it much easier to dodge and block her blows. It was nearly time to finish this battle. "KA...ME..."

At once Caulifla knew that he was up to. Her legs seemed to freeze and she stared in horror at the gathering energy in his hands. _If he want to play it that way..._ "KA...ME...HA...ME..." _Looks like it's down to another damn beam struggle. I changed my mind. Beam struggles are absolute hell._

"HAAA!"

Light exploded from the two warriors, and Caulifla sneered at defeat as Goku's beam pushed past hers. It exploded on contact, forcing her out of her super saiyan form. Her hair moved along with the resulting wind as she collapsed to her knees. _Damn._

Goku moved toward her as soon as she fell unconscious, picking her up gently in bridal style. Her eyes were closed, and Goku couldn't help but admire how her face was now free of all emotion. She looked more at peace than he had ever seen her. The warrior found himself smiling and he brushed one of her bangs out of the way so it wouldn't curtain her lovely visage so much. _You fought hard. You should be proud._ Carefully, he removed one of his arms from under her and used his occupied arm to lift her closer to his chest as to not drop her. He then lifted his free arm to his forehead, about to use instant transmission to travel to Karin's for a sensu bean when he felt something soft against his collarbone. The saiyan warrior blinked in surprise as he saw Caulifla nuzzling comfortably into the crook of his neck. _Erk. Better not tell her about this. She'll give me hell for it._

* * *

 _ **A/N: A bit shorter than my normal 3,000 or so. Just decided to end it here since I found it appropriate. I got math homework to do anyway. Hope you enjoy~**_

 _ **Anyone know how the hell hyperbolas work? I only get half of the content on it. It's a carry-on from parabolas and I was away for the entire week we did that (sigh). There's also this obnoxious kid in my math class who thinks he's all that. My math ability far surpasses him from what I've observed so far but he apparently gets the basic calculus work behind hyperbolas. I call bullshit.**_

 _ **Teacher: It'll take 10 minutes to do the homework!**_

 _ **Me: -Takes 5 hours to do one question-**_

 ** _ALSO! CONFESSION TIME! I'VE NEVER WRITTEN A LEMON IN MY LIFE. WHATEVER LEMONS I PLAN TO WRITE HERE WILL BE THE FIRST EVER. THIS IS ALSO MY FIRST ATTEMPT AT ROMANCE SO PLEASE BEAR WITH ME. I'M NOT EVEN OLD ENOUGH TO GET MY L'S YET. WHO THE HELL LET ME ON THIS WEBSITE?_**

 ** _Please review 0w0 (i mean if you want... no one's making you... ack i just dont wanna sound pushy eek o3o)_**


	4. In saiyans we trust

Champa's planet was dull, to say the least; it was the complete opposite of his brother Beerus' planet. Upon seeing his brother's planet on a trip to Universe 7 one day, he had gruffly asked his angel why his planet wasn't as cool. She merely told him that the planet was created to suit his tastes. The God of Destruction had to reluctantly agree. It was something that Vados had often joked about to Cabba and having seen the place for the first time when Kale dragged him on Vados' summons, he understood why Champa was disgusted by his own sense of style.

He had been having a small celebration with Caulifla's brother Renso at his house when a Kale showed up, looking extremely worried. She explained to him about the situation and pleaded with him to accompany her to Universe 7 to search for Caulifla. Cabba had meant to refuse her gently, knowing that he had important things to tend to as a military elite, but there was a part of his mind which urged him to go with Kale. He had asked Renso for advice, and the retired captain told him to go with the girl, obviously worried about his sister Caulifla's wellbeing. Caulifla had disowned the male saiyan as her brother years ago but Renso still cared and looked out for her. Now Cabba and Kale had their hands on Vados' shoulders, careful not to let go of the angel, lest they be left behind to suffocate in space.

Like she had done with Caulifla, Vados filled them in about earth and its inhabitants, warning them not to interact with the humans if it could be avoided. The earthlings would find it extremely difficult to comprehend the existence of aliens after all, even if the Universe 6 saiyans blended right in with the general population due to their lack of tails. Unlike the saiyans of Universe 7, Universe 6's saiyans had been given a chance to evolve into a more 'modern' form of their species, their local Arcorsian megalomaniac having not destroyed the planet Sadala out of a super saiyan phobia.

"I care so much for him, but Champa really is getting quite irritable!" lamented Vados, sighing for a well executed dramatic effect. "It's really funny how things work - get a second chance at life and you'll find yourself bending over backwards and doing things you never would have thought to do the first time around!"

"It's okay Vados!" Cabba attempted to cheer her up, smiling in amusement at her antics. "Once Lord Champa loses weight, he'll thank you for it." He felt at ease in Vados' presence, but was not comfortable enough to refer to Champa in the casual manner she did.

While Cabba talked to Vados, Kale lost herself in her own thoughts, like she always did. Her shyness was what most would consider crippling and she avoided any confrontation or conversation if she was able to. And if things didn't work out, she always managed to get away by being meek and agreeable. _Are you happy on earth, Caulifla? Is everyone treating you kindly? I sure hope so, sis..._ She thought of Son Goku, grimacing slightly as she did so. She did not like the man. She could tell Caulifla did though, as much as she probably told herself how much she hated him on a daily basis. Caulifla was a confusing person in Kale's opinion. The woman would go one way and then spontaneously go the other way. Her volatile personality was part of what made her a good leader - as good as a temperamental saiyan female could get anyway. She trusted in her own judgement far too much; but truly, she wasn't a very good judge of character at all. She sized others up too quickly and would make no haste to change her point of view until the person revealed themselves to be the complete opposite. What a stubborn female.

"Kale?" Cabba's voice returned her back to reality. "You okay there?"

"Y-yeah. How long until we reach earth?"

Vados tossed back her head and laughed. "Soon. Are all saiyans so impatient?" she said teasingly, making Kale flush with embarrassment. "Don't be like that, dear, chin up! You'll see your Caulifla again soon. And then maybe you saiyans would stop using me as a delivery service - I get enough of that from waiting hand and foot on Champa."

Cabba cocked his head. "You don't like serving Champa?"

"Not all the time," Vados admitted. "He's so pushy and demanding." She tittered softly. "But that's what makes Champa Champa and I wouldn't have it any other way if I want to be honest with myself."

Kale was surprised by her bold admission. She didn't think the angel would go as far as to talk about her master in this way behind his back. But she couldn't blame Vados, she supposed. After all, serving an overbearing god who would make Chi Chi look like the tamest saint at times must not be fun. She suddenly felt a pang of sorrow for Vados - she was forever bound to serve someone else as it was her eternal duty. Kale was very glad that she had her own free will, even if she had Caulifla or somebody else guiding her hand most of the time, and even gladder that she was not an immortal being. Being one seemed to lead a lonely existence.

"We've nearly reached their solar system," Vados announced. "I wonder what Caulifla's been up to, don't you, Cabba; Kale?"

* * *

After Goku had fed her a sensu bean, Caulifla found herself back into perfect health. She did a few air punches. "This is amazing! I never knew something like this would exist - it seems like something out of a fairy tale."

"Our world has a lot of the weird and mysterious," Goku told her as they flew through the skies aimlessly.

"Really? What kind? On Sadala, it was only us and the local wildlife."

"Oh, y'know, dragons and stuff. Witches, warlocks, fire gods..."

"Dragons?" parroted Caulifla. "Are they the creators of the dragon balls?"

"Kind of, but not really. Y'see, on earth, a Namekian named Kami created the dragon balls and the wish-granting dragon. On planet Namek, the Grand Elder is basically Kami, except their dragon is way bigger and called Porunga."

"I see." Caulifla narrowed her eyes slightly against the wind. "That sounds... absolutely wild. But enough of dragon balls!" She smiled wickedly. "I want a rematch."

" _Eh?!_ Another one? We just finished fighting five minutes ago. Yeesh, and I thought I loved fighting. You like taking things up to the next level."

"Come on, Goku!" Caulifla protested half-heartedly. A rematch on top of a rematch wasn't something she really wanted. Deep down, her greatest desire was to be trained, and even deeper down was a more primal, animalistic desire that she didn't even know existed.

"I dunno... it's getting pretty close to sunset and Chi Chi will be mad if I stay any longer."

"Fine! I have a request though, and please don't bring your mate into this." She gulped as if her pride could be swallowed literally. "Train me." There. She said it. Was she happy now? She honestly didn't know.

To her shock, Goku grinned his famous Son grin. "Finally! I gotta say, you're pretty tough to crack. I've been waiting for you to ask me that since the tournament. I was hoping you hadn't changed your mind since then." He didn't know why, but the idea of training her made him absolutely elated.

Caulifla growled, a faint pink blushline appearing on her face. _Ooh, that dickhead! He knew the whole time and didn't say anything!_ Then again, she had threatened his manhood during their battle. Maybe it was time to accept a bit of the blame herself. "You could have clued me in a bit more," was what she settled for. "I already owe you a favor for covering for me in the tournament. I guess I owe you another now..."

They landed in front of Goku's house and he said, "You don't really need to do anything for me, Cauli."

 _Why does he keep calling me that?_ She made a mental note to find out later. For now, getting some training sessions in was top priority. "I insist," she pressed. "It's my code of honor." _Anyone on Sadala would know that favors are the only currency I trade in. Heh._

Goku shrugged. "Okay then. I'll call you up on those favors then."

"Right. When does training start?"

"Tomorrow. Be here by sunrise and we'll start then."

"Hn? So early?" As a gang leader back at Sadala, Caulifla often slept in whenever she could - it was a privilege inducted by herself.

"Of course." He threw her a taunting smirk. "Or is the big bad Caulifla _too tired_ from today's beatdown to wake up?"

Oh, he sure knew how to push her buttons.

"I'll be there," she vowed with venom in her voice. She was rising into the air when Goku called out to her again.

"Hey, wait! Do you have any place to stay?"

Huh. She hadn't even considered accommodation on earth. She paused, looking slightly troubled. She knew how to rough it in the woods but it was an option she'd rather not take.

"I'd invite you," Goku continued. "But my house is pretty small."

"Too bad," she said dryly. "I'm sure your wife would have _loved_ having me around the house."

Goku ignored the jibe at his wife and instead rubbed his chin in thought. "I wonder... Hold on, be right back!" He jetted away in a burst of white aura.

"Hey wait! Argh," Caulifla grumbled, sensing an annoying familiar chi just behind the front door of the house before it opened. Chi Chi stood in the doorway, not looking particularly happy at the sight of the female saiyan. _Goddammit, why did you have to leave now? I don't want to deal with this bitch!_

"Oh, you're here," Chi Chi said, stating the obvious. "Where's my husband?" She narrowed her eyes. "You didn't leave him somewhere for the vultures, did you?!"

Caulifla had to stifle a snicker. This jealous harpy had no idea what she was talking about! As if Caulifla could actually overpower Goku as she was now. The male saiyan was far superior to her in strength. Did Chi Chi even know her own mate?

"Relax," Caulifla bit out, rolling her eyes. "He was here with me just then and flew off randomly. I don't know where he is." That last part was a lie. With her chi senses, she could feel him not too far away from the Son household, somewhere further up the mountain. She really didn't need to deal with Chi Chi right now. Caulifla disliked her, plain and simple, but the female saiyan could tell that she was only looking out for her family. Chi Chi was the type to hold family over anything else and Caulifla could see where she was coming from. After all, she had held her parents over everything else once upon a time. A pang hit her heart when she thought of Renso, her mind cutting between the morning she woke up in a bed with two bloody bodies and the night where she had screamed at Renso for leaving her, baring her heartbreak to him. Caulifla massaged her temples and pinched the bridge of her nose. "Look - Chi Chi was it? I'm not here to steal your husband or anything, okay?" At Chi Chi's disbelieving look she scowled. "I _promise._ Is that good enough for you? I just gave you my word for it. I'm only here to seek training under him to achieve super saiyan blue and learn how to control super saiyan three."

Chi Chi relented a bit, though she still looked a somewhat skeptical. "Well... fine then." She sighed and shook her head. "I suppose I overreacted. I apologize for that. I've... I've just lost him too many times and I don't want to lose him again. Have you ever lost someone close to you, Cauli?"

"Caulifla," the saiyan corrected immediately. "And to answer your question, yes, I have. My race is not as altruistic as yours, Chi Chi." That was all she would tell her. Anything else was none of the human's business.

Thankfully, she was saved from having to continue when Goku returned. "Hi Chi Chi!" He gave her a kiss on the cheek, to which she giggled lightheartedly in response to. They were the perfect picture of a loving couple. Goku turned to Caulifla. "Good news! I know a place where you can stay."

"Oh? And where's that?"

"My grandpa's old place further up Mount Paozu. No one lives in there but I remembered that we refurnished it not too long ago for preservation. I have an extra futon for Kuririn. You're nearly the same size at him so it'll work out."

"Kuririn? That was the short baldy right?"

"Hehe, yep. Just don't let him catch you calling him that."

Hearing that made Caulifla smirk arrogantly. "Like he could touch me. I mean, come on. _Frost_ knocked him out."

"Don't underestimate him, Cauli," Goku warned. "He's stronger than you think."

Chi Chi cleared her throat. "Goku, evening's approaching. If you want to show Caulifla to Gohan's place then you'd better do it now. I'm cooking dinner and it'll be done soon. It's your favorite: fried rice with extra juicy pork chops and fish!"

Goku's face lit up like a child's on Christmas Day and he hugged her, spinning around in a circle as he held onto her waist. "Aww! You're the best Cheech!"

Caulifla raised an eyebrow at the display. "Are we done with the mushy stuff now? I'd like to know where I'll be staying."

"Of course," Chi Chi answered, gently removing Goku's arms from around her waist. "Sorry for the delay!" She couldn't help but give Caulifla a small, subtle smirk though. Goku was hers! She hugged Goku one last time before going inside the house. "See you at dinner, honey!"

"See ya! Okay, Cauli, let's go check out your new place."

* * *

Vegeta was training hard in the gravity chamber, careful not to raise his power too much lest the entire room explode. Not that such a thing would harm him anymore - the woman's subsequent screeching would just be unbearable! He was only halfway through his training when an outside source turned off the gravity. He frowned and a screen descended from the ceiling.

"Hey, Vegeta," greeted Bulma, looking frazzled but still maintaining her composure. "Sorry to interrupt your training but it'll have to be cut short tonight."

"Hn? Why's that, woman? We had sex two nights ago. Don't tell me you're getting horny again."

"Ack! Vegeta!" she yelled, blushing furiously. She lowered her voice into a whispering hiss. "Trunks is in the same room as me you know."

"Tch. The boy knows more than you think. How could he not you loudmouth?"

"I know nothing!" Trunks shouted from the background. "Absolutely nothing!"

Bulma sighed through her nose. "It's not about the sex, 'kay? Bra's having trouble falling asleep and she won't stop crying. I want you to make her feel better by reading her her favorite storybook and tucking her in."

"What?! You interrupted my training for this shit?!"

"VEGETA! THIS IS OUR DAUGHTER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT!"

"Yeah, yeah, I know... I'm sorry," he ground out, looking away from the monitor.

Bulma blinked before smiling in pleasant surprise. "Well, well, looks like the Prince has a soft side to him after all," she mumbled to herself.

"I can hear you!"

Bulma smirked. "I know, Veggie. Now come on up already."

Once Vegeta had taken a quick shower to wash off his after-training musk, he went up to Bra's room. Sure enough, the little girl was wailing at the top of her lungs and rocking side to side in her cot.

"Hush," Vegeta whispered, being uncharacteristically gentle. He brushed his fingers against her chubby cheeks to try and soothe her. Bra's eyes opened and big blue orbs met onyx ones. She reached up and grabbed his index finger, her tiny hands not even grasping around the whole thing. "It's me, your father. I'm the Prince of All Saiyans, Bra." He kissed her softly on her forehead. "And you're my little princess." He scowled, which only made Bra gurgle happily. "And as your father, I am not letting any weakling human males near you. I can promise you on that at the very least."

Bra beamed up at him before yawning and closing her eyes. It seemed like he wouldn't need to read that story after all. But then the baby opened her eyes again, peering up at her father expectantly.

Vegeta looked back at her before rolling his eyes. "Fine. I can tell you're going to be a brat like your brother when you grow up. I just pray that you won't take after your mother too much." He rummaged through her toy box before picking up a hardcover picture book. On the front, Bulma had put a sticky note that read:

 _BRA'S FAVORITE STORY FOR EMERGENCIES. NO DESTROYING. THAT MEANS YOU VEGETA._

"Let's get this over and done with," Vegeta huffed, removing the sticky note and reading the title aloud, "'Sleeping Beauty'." He glared at Bra but the babe seemed to be immune to the intensity of his stares and displeased expressions. "Somehow, I find myself wanting you to be this 'Sleeping Beauty'." He opened the book. "Once upon a time..."

* * *

 _ **A/N: Thank you so much for all the reviews! I never expected to get any with my second-grade writing skill. Unfortunately for the people who want Goku to stay faithful to Chi Chi, I'm confirming this story as a GokuxCaulifla. It's a ship that's never been seen on fanfiction before (as far as I know) and I want to experiment with the dynamics of that relationship. The next update might come out a bit later because I seriously have to buckle down and do my Science Research Project, which is due in a little more than a week (I haven't had the chance to do anything about it because I've been looking after my ailing grandfather for the past three weeks).**_

 _ **MLPStevenUniverseLPS: Don't like fight scenes, huh? Personally, I find them a little tedious too but this is Dragon Ball and it's basically based around fighting. I'll try to focus the story on other things too but expect some more fight scenes in the future. Also, I'll be sure to check out your story if it's got Caulifla and Cabba and Kale in it!**_

 _ **Speaking of fight scenes, I'm so incredibly inexperienced at writing action it's terrifying. I just hope I do it justice.**_

 _ **We'll see more of Kale and Cabba when they arrive in Universe 7's earth.**_

 _ **ALSO! A VEGETA-BRA SCENE! Oh gods, I absolutely love the idea of Vegeta being the father of a little girl and had to put this scene in. Just to give a bit of insight into the lives of others.**_

 _ **R &R! (i mean if u want, like I said u dont have to it's just very much appreciated)**_


	5. Unexplored territory

_**A/N: Warning, some of the things in this chapter may trigger. It's nothing terrible. Just thought it deserves a word of warning.**_

* * *

The moon shone brightly through the open window, illuminating the bed of Chi Chi and Goku. One body was relaxed and the other tense. Chi Chi had refused sex again for the umpteenth time, claiming that she was too tried for a round with a super saiyan. She was now getting some well deserved sleep but Goku laid awake in bed, staring up at the ceiling, hot and bothered by Chi Chi's abstinence in more ways than one.

 _Is there something wrong with me? Am I not treating her right?_

Chi Chi snored softly, turning around to bury her face into Goku's chiseled pecs. She moaned slightly, rubbing her forehead against Goku's chin, making him stiffen. When she didn't make any other unconscious movements, he relaxed and allowed his body to cool. But then she wrapped her long, shapely legs around him, reviving his arousal.

 _Oh no. Not now. Shit!_

Without even trying, his wife had put him in a very delicate situation. If he decided to fulfil himself, she knew she would be spitting mad as soon as she woke up. There was only one choice: to tough out her blue-balling.

He groaned in frustration, trying to remove himself from her vice grip without accidently hurting her. Luck was not on his side as his movement only made her grapple his thighs with her own even tighter. His boxers were now feeling uncomfortably tight and he had to suppress a yell of frustration.

 _Chi Chi, why?_ he wailed in his head.

His only response was another muffled snore from his sleeping spouse.

This was going to be a long night. He might as well try some tactics to help him last until morning. _Okay think... something really disgusting._ Squeezing his eyes shut, he conjured an image of Muten Roshi in a bikini; the fat lady in the next village doing a belly dance, what he thought Cousin Itt without his hair would look like - anything to make himself go limp again! It was working until he thought of something that didn't help at all. He imagined a smirking Caulifla, her body covered in superficial battle wounds and her clothes practically torn to shreds from a prior assault he hadn't bothered to script out. There was a burning fire in her eyes - her fighting spirit - that made his heart beat erratically.

That last image aroused him more than ever and he was back at square one again. _Goddammit._ Goku prayed that the image of Caulifla that was now plastered in his head wouldn't affect his behaviour around her tomorrow. _This isn't right._ He tried to force himself to think of Chi Chi instead, and though her ministrations had turned him on before, somehow, it wasn't happening anymore. It was strange and it greatly confusing for the saiyan. He had always been attracted to Chi Chi, but it was always her who initiated any intimacy. Now that he was doing the same, she was refusing his advances. Why? The concept of being attracted to more than one person, especially a spouse, was completely unfamiliar to Goku.

Thinking about this just made his head hurt. He sighed and closed his eyes, trying his best to sleep. It wasn't easy trying to fall into unconsciousness when an attractive woman was pressed up against his body and his mind was wandering into unexplored territory with imaginary Caulifla. There was also the problem of his stiffening member, which caused great discomfort. Only one response was appropriate at this point: _Fuck._

* * *

Cabba and Kale reached earth before midnight. The angel Vados had warned them not to interact with the local populace but she eventually went against her own advice for the sake of a joke. She had dropped them off right on the outskirts of East City and laughed while she did it.

"Thank goodness she gave us some zeni," sighed Cabba as he and Kale walked the streets of the city, knowing that flying would attract unwanted attention.

Kale didn't answer, instead opting to observe the night life of the city. It was absolutely mesmerising for her. She had never seen anything like this before. Sadala had cities but East a City really took the cake! It was loud, bright and the skyscrapers were huge.

Heavy bass filled their sensitive eardrums as they passed a nightclub, a scowling bouncer guarding the entrance. A long line of people were cued up. Kale watched intently as he bouncer threw out or accepted each person.

"Hey Kale!" Cabba called and Kale realised that she was quite behind, having been lost in the club's activities.

"Coming!" Kale replied softly, jogging lightly to catch up with her fellow saiyan. "Where are going first, Cabba? I really want to find Caulifla."

"It's night," Cabba pointed out. "And unluckily for us, Sadala's and Earth's days are nearly synchronised, which means it should be night for us too. I know that you're worried, Kale, but we need to find some food and shelter first."

"Oh, okay."

They reached a grocery store with bright green and orange neon lights. It was obviously rundown but Cabba's eyes lit up in excitement. "This must be where earthlings get their food!" He turned to Kale. "Stay here. I'll buy enough for the both of us." He looked so proud that he was able to provide that Kale couldn't find the heart to tell him that the pizza restaurant on the opposite street seemed more appealing.

Cabba stared in awe at the frozen food section. Nearby, the teenage clerk looked at him with a expression that indicated she thought he was a total weirdo as the saiyan pressed his face against the glass separating his body from the frozen potato pies.

"Hot pocket?" Cabba read out, his eyes following the lettering. "What is this hot pocket? And corndog? That sounds horrifying!" He shuddered, imagining a dead, cooked dog with corn for a body. What kind of sicko would kill a dog just to turn it into corn!? Vados had told him a bit about earth foods and animals and if he were to stay long term on earth, he would definitely adopt a cute, adorable dog! "These humans are more barbaric than I had first anticipated..."

"Hey dude!" the teenage girl behind the counter shouted before blowing a bubble with her gum. "You gonna buy something or what? You've been standing there for ten minutes."

"Oh wow!" exclaimed Cabba, scratching his head with a bewildered look on his face. "Has it really been that long? Time really flies when you're learning new things about earth culture!" They hadn't even been here for a day and Cabba had already let slip to a human that he was not from earth. As soon as he registered his mistake, he winced inwardly.

The girl raised an eyebrow. "Umm, yeah dude, whatever..." She pulled out her phone to post a tweet about her _long, boring shifts and weirdos who show up in equally weird costumes. Some kind of armour or something._ Her fingers tapped away at her phone's keyboard.

 _That was almost too close!_ Cabba sweated, kicking himself for his carelessness. _I should just get this over and done with and stop messing around._

Kale fidgeted nervously as she waited for Cabba, leaning against the side of the small store building. She was just starting to get a bit comfortable when a broad hand grabbed her shoulder and forcefully spun her around. A drunk that she had seen get tossed out by the nightclub's bouncer was the one who instigated the movement.

"Hey there, girlie," he slurred, the words coming out incoherently. "How 'bout you and I have some fun?" He attempted to waggle his eyebrows seductively. "And by fun, I don't mean video games... I mean the type of things that are too naughty for even comic books...!"

"N-no thank you," Kale squeaked in terror.

"Come on..." He grabbed her arm. "I insist, baby..."

A bunch of more drunks stumbled down the walkway, seeing the man grab Kale. One of them wolf whistled while another called out, "Share her with us, buddy!" They all wandered over as if they were one single entity, their hands outstretched, prepared to roam every nook and cranny of her body.

"Please don't!" Kale pleaded, gently pushing them away. They were all weaklings and she could easily overpower all of them but she didn't want to resort to unnecessary violence. But it didn't look like they were going to relent. She put up her arms in a small stance, ready to defend herself.

The men guffawed, pointing and sneering at her. One of them stepped up. "Stupid bitch! There's lots of us and one of you." He directed a thumb toward his chest. "And I've been trained by the champ himself, Hercule Satan!"

"Haha, yeah!"

"You tell her, Joe!"

"Don't be too rough with her... save it for the bedroom instead!"

"Be a pal - save some for me!"

"Get away!" Kale released a burst of chi, sending them flying backwards. They groaned in pain, most of them falling into unconsciousness due to the alcohol in their systems and the impact of their fall.

Joe got up, snarling. He rushed at the girl. "Oh you bitch! You're gonna pay for that." He launched his arm at her as if she was going to punch him. Kale instinctively put out her own limbs, her forearms facing her attacker, in an expert block. But the expected impact never came - there was a sharp, stinging pain and she felt her own lifeblood spill from her flesh and onto the dirty pavement. Somehow, he had gotten hold of a knife without her noticing.

"That'll show you, you stupid broad. Now come to Papa Joe..."

"Kale, I'm back!" Cabba turned around the corner and saw Joe grasping one of Kale's bloody arms, the girl shocked enough by the brutal attack to be frozen on the spot. "Kale!" He phased in front of Joe, glaring at the human man with dangerous intent. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?" he demanded, crushing Joe's wrist easily.

Joe screamed out in pain. "H-hey now, man," he whimpered. "From one guy to another... you understand right?"

Cabba snapped his arm, making the man scream even louder, his lips flapping as his mind failed to comprehend the pain he was experiencing. "WHAT KIND OF MAN FORCES HIMSELF ON A WOMAN!?" He pushed him to the ground, stepping roughly on his leg and shattering Joe's tibia. "It's _scum_ like you who disgust me."

Joe's mouth opened but no words came out. Cabba looked coldly at the pathetic sight before turning his gaze to Kale, hither intensity of his stare making her flinch. Instantly, Cabba softened, dropping his previous demeanour almost instantly. "Kale?" he murmured. "I'm so, so sorry for leaving you Kale." He embraced her carefully, cautious to how she would react to a male's touch after going through what she had. She was shivering. "Kale... I didn't scare you did I, Kale?" A choked sob. "Shh, Kale, I'm here now and I won't ever hurt you. I promise."

"It hurts," Kale whispered, shakily bringing up her injured arms. "Oh god... I could have beat them... but I was so scared." She sobbed openly, her shoulders trembling violently as she cried, pushing her face into Cabba's armour. "I'm so weak!" She screamed in frustrations. "Why am I so weak Cabba?!" A green glow flickered around her as her emotions went into turmoil. She pounded her fist on the ground, cracking the concrete.

"Kale, you're not weak," Cabba said gently but assertively. He moved to rub comforting circles on her back. "You're one of the strongest people I know, Kale. Heck, you're even stronger than I am!" She looked up at him in a tearful gaze and he gave her a reassuring smile and a thumbs up. "You're stronger than you think, Kale. Don't put yourself down so much."

Kale sniffed, still shuddering albeit not as hard as before. "Th-thank you," her lip trembled, "thank you, C-Cabba."

"Anytime, Kale. Now we need to get those cuts bandaged. They don't seem too deep so there won't be any scarring. It might take a while to completely heal though. I think I saw some bandages in the shop."

Kale smiled weakly. "O-okay!"

Cabba helped her up, careful not to hurt her. "Like I said, anytime."

* * *

Once Kale had been patched up, the bandages wrapping around the length of her forearms, she and Cabba caught a cab to the nearest hotel.

"That'all be twenty zeni," the cab driver told them. He was an anthropomorphic fox with a yellow cap that said 'TAXI' on the front. He held out his paw to receive the money.

Cabba fumbled through the huge wad of cash Vados had given him. "Um yes, right. Sorry, hold on..."

The driver looked surprised. "Kid, you're loaded. Don't you have a wallet?"

"Wallet?"

Now the driver looked even more bewildered. "What? You don't know what a wallet is? How 'bout your girl?" He gestured to Kale, who was sitting next to Cabba in the back of the taxi. The female saiyan blushed pink at being called Cabba's girl but didn't voice any objections. "Does she know what a wallet is?"

Kale shook her head. "Umm, uhh... we lived in the woods for a long time. This is our first time in the city..."

"Ahh! My good old Uncle Bob likes roughing it out in the woods as well. He's got this cozy little cabin in the wilderness and hunts geese for a living. He used to be a taxi driver just like me, but he did business in West City instead." The driver threw his head back and let out a bellowing laugh. "He used to tell me about all the freeloaders he got over there when I was a kid. He especially liked telling me the one about that spiky haired kid who oh-so-innocently told him that he didn't have any money. The kid was a total angel but a Bob yelled at him anyway."

Cabba gave a noncommittal grunt and handed the driver the right amount of money. "Thanks for the ride."

"No sweat, kid. Just be careful. This hotel is pretty fancy shmancy. They don't really like... gosh how do I this without offending ya too much... _your type."_

At Cabba and Kales' quizzical expressions, he elaborated reluctantly. "I'm talking about your costumes. Look, I get that you teenagers are all into cosplay and stuff but you shouldn't go walking around the place dressed like some... alien warrior or something. And as for you, girl, try not to expose too much skin. A lot of these bastards like to prey on little girls. It's sick, if you ask me. And no offence, but your boyfriend don't look like much," he added skeptically.

 _This guy talks too much,_ he thought irritably. _I bet I could show him a thing or two._ But Cabba was mature enough not to respond in anger. "Thanks," he said, still sounding miffed. "We'll keep that in mind."

Like the taxi driver had said, the receptionists at the hotel didn't look at them very kindly. But Cabba's fat wad of cash quickly changed their minds.

"These humans are so greedy," Cabba whispered to Kale as they were showed to their room. "Does everything revolve around money around here? It sure seems like it."

Kale nodded timidly in agreement.

"Your room," the bellhop said stiffly. "And here is your room key."

"Thanks."

They opened the room door.

Kale frowned. "Cabba... it only has one bed."

"... We'll make do with it." Cabba removed his shoes once they were inside, Kale doing the same. "I can sleep on the floor, if you want?"

"No, no! I don't want to be a burden. We can sleep together... not in that way!" she stumbled over her words, growing redder and redder by the second.

Cabba rubbed the back of his head bashfully. "If it's okay with you, sure. We can keep each other warm." His eyes widened when he realised how that must have sounded. "With blankets!" he blurted.

Kale gave him a small smile, glad that she wasn't the only one feeling awkward about the fact that there was only one bed.

* * *

Caulifla woke up before dawn, freshening up before making a drink called 'coffee' that Chi Chi had supplied her with in a gesture of goodwill. Needless to say, Caulifla was not entirely convinced, especially since she found the coffee bitter. It was an acquired taste, she supposed.

Goku had given her some of Chi Chi's old training gis as well. His gift, even if the clothing was Chi Chi's, was more appreciated by Caulifla. The two women were about the same size and the Gi fit snugly around her small frame.

She looked out the window, coffee cup in hand, and watched as the sun peeked over the hills. Dawn was descending upon Mount Paozu. She smiled.

 _Let the training begin._

* * *

 ** _A/N: I was able to push my Project aside for this, haha... hope you enjoy it._**

 ** _R &R!_**

 ** _Also Bob is the name I gave to the West City taxi driver in Dragon Ball. Shorter than 3000 words but I enjoyed writing it and I hope you guys enjoy it too._**

 ** _MLPStevenUniverseLPS: I guess I am the Kale type, but I'm a lot of other things too. I am shy around ppl I'm unfamiliar with though._**

 ** _~Strawberry the (goddamn) cat_**


	6. Sunrise

Birdsong filled the air, filling the land with its harmonious symphony. Cherry blossom petals fluttered through the air, spiraling in the direction of the wind or drifting lazily into untidy heaps on the rocks. Sunlight spilled over the mountains as it finally peaked over the horizon, bringing warmth into the frigid morning temperatures.

Caulifla stretched her limbs in preparation for what was sure to be a though workout. Nearby, Goku was doing something similar; leg stretches. He turned his head.

"You know, I honestly wasn't expecting you to get up so early," he admitted, grinning sheepishly.

"I _told_ you I would and I did," Caulifla said simply, tightening the belt around her gi. Chi Chi's waistline was slightly wider and every once in a while she had to give the belt a good tug lest the entire top half fall off her upper body. There was no undershirt to go with the outfit. "You shouldn't have doubted me, Goku."

When he didn't reply she got confused, swiveling her head to look at him. Goku was dozing off slightly in the middle of a leg stretch. She bared her teeth at him. Did he think she was some kind of joke? She stormed over to him and hit him upside the head. "Hey! Wake up doofus!" He yawned, blinking blearily. Caulifla growled and placed her foot on the side of his head and kicking. "Get up!"

"Okay, okay, I'm up!" cried Goku, rubbing his cheek and mock glaring at his new trainee. His mouth opened in another yawn. "Sorry about that..."

Caulifla gave him a questioning look. "Rough night?"

"More so than you could ever imagine," he said plainly, his eyes glassing over with a rheum as he recalled all the things he had thought of last night.

Caulifla squatted down so that she could talk to him face to face on the same level. "Does it have anything to do with Chi Chi?" His silence gave her the answer. "Forget about her, Goku. Just for a few hours so we can actually train." She crossed her arms, sending him a stern gaze.

"Yeah, you're right," said Goku, getting up. His eyes gleamed as he was reminded of the unspoken promise of a fight with such a strong opponent. "Let's get started!"

Caulifla smirked. "Now you're speaking my language."

* * *

They had started with training Caulifla in super saiyan three first. There wasn't much to do - just some light sparring and then Caulifla would try to stay in that form for the rest of the morning to try and get used to it. In the afternoon, they would spar again, this time harder and fiercer. The designated time-frame was fast approaching and, after finishing a huge lunch, Goku was teaching Caulifla new techniques. The girl had shown great talent for mimicry and Goku was practically shoving more techniques down her throat every time she perfected one.

"Kienzan?" repeated Caulifla. "And Kuririn invented it? Doesn't seem all that promising to me if it was made by a human."

"The kamehameha was made by Kamesenin and he's a human," Goku pointed out, knowing that Caulifla had experienced the destructiveness of the wave first hand. "Don't knock it till you try it, Cauli. The kienzan's a very powerful move, especially since it can cut through just about anything."

That definitely piqued her interest. "Alright, I'm officially intrigued. Shoot."

"I'm no expert at this..." Goku said, lifting his arm up and flattening his palm against the sky. "But here goes nothing. KIENZAN!" A yellow disc appeared above his hand, spinning dangerously. "HAH!" He threw it into a small neighboring mountain, one that he knew was unoccupied by any lifeforms. At first, it looked like nothing had happened but then, to Caulifla's amazement, the apex of the mountain disconnected from the gigantic stone formation and slid down the side.

"Whoa..." She quickly regained her composure, feeling a little foolish having dismissed the attack earlier. "That's rather impressive. I want to meet this Kuririn sometime."

"I'll take you to meet the gang someday," Goku promised.

Caulifla nodded and repeated Goku's movements. "KIENZAN!" A purple disc with visibly sharpened edges resembling Goku's yellow one formed above her palm. "Hehe... how's that? The new and improved kienzan!" She threw it at the same mountain, cutting through it like butter. "What do you think?"

"It's certainly more dangerous," Goku noted, also noticing how it resembled Freeza's Death Saucer. "Have you ever trained under Frost?"

The question seemed to send the girl into shock. But she soon recovered, blinking once, then twice. "How did you guess?" She brushed a cherry blossom petal off her shoulder, the petal hovering past her long, golden hair and landing on the ground.

"Your attack," he told her. "It reminded me of another attack belonging to Freeza, Frost's counterpart in Universe 7. Man, you're like another Vegeta, aren't ya?"

"Eh? The saiyan with the big forehead? How?"

"Nevermind. That's a story for another time. Let's take a break; I want to hear how you ended training with Frost."

Caulifla lowered her body and crossed her legs. "Take a seat then. And do _not_ go repeating this anyone. Not Vegeta, not Chi Chi, not Kuririn - _no one_. What I'm about to tell you is strictly confidential."

Goku scratched his head. "If it's that personal you don't have to tell me."

"You're right. But..." She heaved a sigh. "I want to. You're my mentor now. I need to learn how to trust you and this is the first step." Her gaze flattened into a glare. "I'm not going to spill secrets left and right though! So don't expect me to do anything of the sort. Everytime I feel like we've reached an understanding, I'll let you know by telling you more about me."

Goku nodded, sitting down across from her and leaning forward like an eager child. Caulifla smirked slightly at his antics, the action disguising her uncertainty, something that Goku saw right through. "Well, it starts like this..."

* * *

 _Caulifla panted hard, blood seeping from a wound on her forehead and dripping into her eyes, making her vision glaze over in crimson. At least two of her ribs were broken, one of them prodding at a lung, dangerously close to puncturing the delicate respiratory organ. Her kneecaps were shattered but she was forced to kneel before her perpetrator anyway. She glared up at his face, the blood smudging her perception of him._

 _"Oh?" the Arcorsian chuckled, his tail sweeping beside him and curling up in delight. "Still conscious after all that?" His face neared her, his eyes gleaming with sadistic delight. "This is a side of me I do not get to show very often..." His lip curved in distaste. "But unfortunately for you I absolutely_ despise _thieving rats." His tail flashed and Caulifla received a stinging laceration on her cheek. "Just why were you stealing from my men, rat?"_

 _Caulifla spat in his face, making him recoil and snarl furiously at her. He grabbed her head and slammed her into the ground, breaking her nose and traumatizing her lips. Caulifla opened her mouth to sneer at him, her teeth coated with her own blood._

 _"You miserable monkey!" the Arcorsian howled, tossing her into the wall of the alleyway. Caulifla had to sneer at his pathetic attempt at an insult. The saiyan hadn't been called anything ape related for years, ever since the genetic coding for their tails mysteriously died out, leaving the current generation of saiyans without an extra appendage. "I'm going to kill you," the reptilian creature told her plainly. "Welcome to the end of your life. And I promise it's going to hurt."_

Wow, that's a pretty good one, _Caulifla noted._ If I somehow make it I'll be sure to use it next time. _She smiled weakly._ I'm sorry Renso. I never should have ventured into the city for food. Looks like you'll have to be fishing by yourself from now on. Heh, if I had only listened to you, big bro...

 _The Arcorsian kneed her in the gut, getting her solar plexus. She bit her lip to stop herself from crying out. Pain raced through her body as she was roughly turned around by her attacker. He put his foot on her spine and she felt her backbone slowly succumb under the immense pressure. The pain was absolutely unbearable! Caulifla chewed through her lip, screaming in agony, blood bubbling at her back of her throat._ Renso...! RENSO! RENSO HELP ME! HELP ME PLEASE, BROTHER! I DON'T WANT TO DIE! _Fear coursed through her body and any sense of pride she might have had disappeared in place of self-preservation._

 _"Stop."_

 _The Arcorsian turned around, ready to attack. "You dare -!" He cut himself off, recognizing the speaker. "Why?"_

 _A woman with skin white as moon and hair as black as midnight strode forward, placing a soothing hand on his shoulder. Her red eyes flashed in the darkness. "It'd be such a waste," she said airily. "And, deep down, I think you know that too, Frost."_

 _Frost scowled at her, ready to object, but she continued before he could._

 _"I've been probing through her mind." Her lip curled upward in the cruelest smile Caulifla had ever seen. "My, my, dear, it was certainly interesting to see such a proud individual_ begging _to be saved."_

 _Caulifla trembled, her greatest humiliation about to be exposed by this... this albino bitch! Death would have been the kinder option for her._

 _"Renso, eh? From what I've seen he's quite the looker. It'd be a shame if something were to happen to him, no?"_

 _Frost was looking confused. "What are you getting at, Kafara?"_

 _The woman locked her blood-red eyes with his own. An understanding seemed to pass through them, no doubt the work of some powerful psychic abilities. Frost chuckled darkly, rubbing his chin in thought. "Yes, yes... I see now, Kafara. You've done well, Lieutenant."_

 _Kafara bowed in a dramatic manner. "I live to serve."_

 _"... Just accept the compliment, dear." Frost's attention turned back to Caulifla. "It seems like you will be spared today. But you know what that means, don't you?"_

 _Caulifla's blood chilled._

 _Frost laughed wickedly, having elicited the desired reaction from her. "Yes. You monkeys are beings that follow a Warrior's Honor, are you not? Yes, you now owe me a life debt for sparing you. And I know just how you can pay it back."_

* * *

"And that's all," Caulifla said plainly, drawing circles on the floor with a finger. She had bared the pain of her past to Goku without so much as batting an eyelash.

Goku suddenly realized that this female saiyan before him was more like Vegeta than he had first thought. The two were reflections of each other - two beings of twin universes destined to serve a cruel dictator at some point in their lives. Goku was glad that she was now free of his clutches. He recalled her calling Frost a weakling before - she must have surpassed him long ago then. But how had she done so without going super saiyan? She had only learned of its existence just hours before the Tournament of Power started.

"That's all?" Goku parroted, pushing his thoughts aside. "What about the rest? It can't just end there. That's a horrible ending!"

Caulifla stared at him. "Did you expect a happy one?"

"Well, yeah. You're free of him now, aren't you? And I suspect you have been for a long time."

"You're right about that. I was only a teenager when that happened." She laid down on her back, looking up at the blue afternoon sky. Things were silent when she said, "It's not the end. I just decided to stop it there. I'll tell you the rest next time."

"Fine. I noticed your power's stable too, by the way."

Caulifla got up, staring at her hands, which were crackling with energy. "Huh. Nice. Does that mean I have full control of the form now? And it won't be so energy draining?"

"That's right. Wow, Cauli, you really are a prodigy," Goku praised, giving her a smile. "It took me weeks to master super saiyan three."

Caulifla shrugged nonchalantly but she couldn't hide her growing smirk. "What can I say? We're prodigies, you and I," she floated into the air, "but it seems that Universe 6 has a foot over Universe 7." Her eyes lit up when she realized something. "Does that mean I can start training to reach blue now?!" She stared up at her mentor with wide onyx eyes.

Goku suddenly found himself tongue-tied at her sparkling irises but quickly recovered. "Soon. But not today. We're gonna test out that super saiyan three power." He powered up into his own super saiyan three form, his eyebrows disappearing and his hair elongating. He popped his neck to loosen his muscles. "You ready?"

"Hell yes!"

The two leaped at each other, slamming their forearms together in a deadlock.

 _So much power!_ Caulifla screamed in her head. The feeling of strength surging through her body was almost orgasmic. She was delighted when she managed to land a strong punch on Goku's face. She expected her emotions to go completely wild but instead she remained calm. It was like her mind was in a totally peaceful state. Her eyes were able to follow his every move, allowing her block and attack as much as she pleased. Feeling bolder, she kicked him into a mountain. The mountain crumbled on impact but Goku resurfaced immediately, taking Caulifla by surprise.

Caulifla suddenly found herself on the defensive, her arms and legs stinging with each blow she managed to block - her mentor was letting out more of his power now. The confidence was slowly slipping away when she realized that Goku was still marginally stronger than her, having trained for longer as a super saiyan three.

The power difference was Caulifla's eventual downfall. She found herself bruised and lying on the ground where Goku managed to pin her. He smirked at her. "Gotcha."

Caulifla growled, pushing against his chest to try and get him to get the hell off. "I thought we were supposed to be sparring. Get off me!"

"Nuh. I won and you lost. Don't let the power get to your head. I'm still stronger."

"I can see that, stupid!" With a grunt she flipped him off her, springing up. "Come at me. I dare you!"

Goku took her up on the offer and, once again, the two exchanged blows, becoming nothing more than blurs in the air to the human eye. One of Goku's clawed punches ripped through the strap of Caulifla's borrowed gi but she was far too focused on the fight to even notice. This fight was hers. She had to believe it. The pair had just nailed uppercuts on their opponents and were both clutching their jaws in pain when they felt a familiar chi approaching. A white starburst appeared in the distance.

"Dad!" Goten called from the sky. In one arm he held a picnic basket and in the other he held Pan, who seemed totally unaffected by the high speeds. "Hey Dad! Mom asked me to bring you a snack!" As he landed, he dropped the picnic basket, pointed at Caulifla and squeaked in terror. "Ahh!"

Caulifla raised an eyebrow. "What? Is there something on my face?"

"Nooo!" cried Goten. "Your boobies are nakey!"

"EEHH?!" She looked down at herself, mortified to see that the child was right. Most of the gi had teared off during the fight, leaving little to imagination. "ACK!" _Fucking flimsy material!_ She covered herself, blushing furiously.

Goku quickly turned away, but he had already gotten an eyeful of her creamy breasts - each topped with a lovely, rosy pink nipple. _Don't think about it! Don't think about it! Gotta ask Chi Chi to make a new gi out of stronger stuff next time!_

"I'm going," Caulifla declared, her face red. "I need to change out of these rags. We'll continue our training tomorrow." Without waiting for an answer, she jetted into off into the sky. _How could I not have noticed?! How embarrassing... What if he never wants to train me again?_ She knew Goku wasn't like that; he had already invested his time training her and such a simple mistake wouldn't get the better of him. _Fuck... just fuck._

* * *

"Sew her a new outfit?" Chi Chi asked, blinking up at Goku. "How come?"

"Please... just do it Chi Chi," Goku groaned, covering his eyes as if the gesture could somehow removed what he had seen earlier that day.

Chi Chi frowned. "Fine. But don't complain if dinner comes late! Sewing is a delicate thing you know." She sighed. "If only there were more girls in our family. Maybe we should have had more children."

Goku didn't know why but the idea of having any more offspring with Chi Chi did not appeal to him. "Maybe," he said cautiously. "But I think it's too late for that." _Oh... that was the wrong thing to say._ He winced at how it had sounded.

Chi Chi glared at him furiously. "WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?!" She threw her hands up in the air and stormed upstairs. "UGH! Forget it! Go to the tailor's in the morning if you want Caulifla's new gi done! Why did I marry a total buffoon again?" she muttered.

 _Dammit!_ Goku cursed in his head. _Why am I suddenly making Chi Chi sad and angry? I should apologize to her as soon as she cools down. I really messed up big time._

* * *

Cabba gasped in horror as he stared at his impending doom, Kale looking just as petrified.

Cabba took a step back fearfully. _No... why did I let it get this far? I'm such a fool!_

* * *

 ** _A/N: That, ladies and gentlemen and those of nonspecific gender, concludes chapter 6. What kind of trouble have Cabba and Kale run into now that's stopped them from completing their mission objective? We also got a glimpse of Caulifla's past (and her assets...) The flashback might seem a little random but it'll tie together once we have all the pieces. Who is Kafara? Does she have something to do with Renso and Caulifla's strained relationship? And what about those dead bodies in the bed that Caulifla slept with?_**

 ** _Many questions... the first one (Kale and Cabba's trouble) will be answered next chapter. Be warned - it's not what you would expect!_**

 ** _MLPStevenUniverseLPS: Thanks for pointing out that mistake. It's been fixed._**

 ** _Meazm: Yep, it's side Kale/Cabba confirmed._**


	7. The not so wicked witch of the East City

_**A/N: Last chapter was a bit heavy so here you go! Some lighthearted shenanigans with Cabba and Kale!**_

* * *

Cabba gasped in horror as he stared at his impending doom, Kale looking just as petrified.

Cabba took a step back fearfully. _No... why did I let it get this far? I'm such a fool!_

Nearby, poor Barry Kahn was trying to garner the attention of Cabba's doom. "Yoohoo! Ladies! Your hero Barry is over here!"

One of the ladies threw a shoe at his head. "Buzz off, whack!"

Barry Kahn whimpered in pain as her high heel hit him square on the forehead. "B-but girls..."

Barry's former fangirls continued to ignore his pleading, menacingly advancing on Cabba (and by extent Kale, who was unfortunately standing next to him).

"Oh my gosh, he's even cuter close up!" one girl squealed, reaching out to pinch one of Cabba's cheeks rather painfully.

"OMG I know right, Val?!"

"I can't believe you got to touch him like that! Save some for us - I want his boxers for my collection!"

"I saw him first!"

One girl, who couldn't have been older than _ten,_ pushed past her older cohorts. "Oh Cabba! Be my boyfriend!" She sounded much like she was faking her affections.

"Val, tell your kid sister to get her claws off _my_ man."

" _Your_ man! Like I said, I saw him first!"

"Did not!"

"I just want his boxers! Do anything to him you want, just give me those boxers!"

Val's sister pouted. "But he's mine!"

"STOP!" shouted Cabba. "I already have a girlfriend."

All the fangirls stared at Cabba in disbelief. Some of them broke down in tears. Val stormed forward. "What?! Who is this hussy? Lemme at her!" She swung her fists wildly in the air, her permed red hair tangling as the other ladies held her back.

Val's sister frowned. _Is that why the spell didn't work? If he already has a true love then that explains why he's not all over these girls - the spell didn't affect him!_

Val put her hands on her hips. "Well, Cabba?! Who is she?"

Cabba took a deep breath and then looped his arm around Kale's shoulders. "Kale."

"What?!" screamed the fangirls.

"What!" Kale shouted in unison, her face going as red as her shirt.

"What?!" Val's sister cried. _True love or not the book said that it affects all girls except the user! Why is she unaffected?! How can this be?_ Her eyes widened as she realised something. _Uh oh... I may have just endangered the entire city._ She shot a beam from her hands but nothing happened. _Why isn't it working?!_

Everyone unaffected by the spell could only look on helplessly as the fangirls all screamed in unison, the sound demonic and twisted. They watched as the crowd of girls erupted into black flames. Faint outlines of their bodies revealed a grotesque transformation. When the fire ceased, Val stood bigger and taller than the others, a pair of curved horns on her heads, her fingers elongated and clawed. Her eyes were completely black and she was now attired in a dress suitable for the demon she now was. Behind her, all the other girls had gone through similar transformations, becoming smaller variations of Val.

Cabba stared up at them. "Oh, shoot."

* * *

 _ **Hours ago...**_

"Ahh, Val!" Yumi Megumi shouted, pointing to a billboard. "Lookie, lookie!"

Val Megumi looked up in the direction of the advertisement. Her eyes shone. "Wow! Barry Kahn's filming a new movie in East City today?! And fangirls are invited to audition for the part of the love interest?!"

Yumi nodded, hoping that her sister would be distracted enough as to not drag her around shopping for new clothes. It worked. Val gathered up all her shopping bags and grabbed Yumi by the arm. "Come on, let's go! Maybe if we're early we can see Barry! I'm _so_ gonna get the part!"

"Uh huh!"

The two sisters raced down the streets to where the movie was being filmed, Val stumbling in her high heels occasionally and Yumi whining about how her legs weren't as long as Val's and that if they arrived sweaty no cute boys would want to flirt with them.

"Makeup, makeup, makeup," Val muttered as she dug through her handbag. "Gotta look good for Barry!"

"Give me some sis!"

"No way," Val snapped, putting on a dollop of eyeshadow. "You're too young for this stuff. I'm the one who'll end up dating Barry Kahn after the movie, not you! You're like ten."

"Eleven soon!"

"Whatever." Val zipped up her purse. "Barry is _not_ a lolicon. His stats on his webpage say so."

Yumi crossed her arms, glaring at the ground. She took off her backpack and unzipped it as Val busied herself by fluffing her hair. Yumi sighed in relief as she saw her precious spellbook still in the bag. The girl had been born with magic in her blood. Her mother was not at all a superstitious woman and had no time for 'voodoo', and so Yumi had never gotten the chance to have her powers coached by a professional. But one day a witch had appeared at her door and gave her what was now her most precious possession: her book of spells. She quickly zipped up her bag.

"Come on, Yumi, mother said I'm not supposed to leave you alone," Val said, huffing. She grabbed her sister's wrist, her fake nails digging painfully into Yumi's skin. "I can already see some sluts lined up!"

* * *

Across the city, Kale and Cabba had just finished breakfast and were checking out of their hotel in the lobby when the radio on the receptionists' table buzzed to life.

 _"Good morning, East City! If you haven't already heard the news, Barry Kahn just arrived today! He's at the local studio where our sources say he's signing autographs. Our sources_ also _say that every female fan in the city should come to audition for the part of the love interest. Pop idol Cocoa Amaguri was offered the role but declined, saying that she couldn't bear to be on the same set as Kahn. Could there be something going on between them?"_

The co-host, a female, continued reporting the story. _"We've just had the synopsis for the movie, Jeremy: Hero of Time! revealed. Here's what it says: 'Jeremy, the top disciple of Mr Satan, learns about an alien attack that happened on East City over twenty years ago. Unable to see such an act unpunished, Jeremy travels back in time to defeat the aliens, a duo called the saiyans.' It stars Barry Kahn as Jeremy, Mr Satan as himself for a cameo, and Mr Mucho as the 'big, bald saiyan'. Who will the final role of love interest of Jeremy go to?"_

"The earthlings know about the saiyans!" Cabba exclaimed as they left the hotel. "But how? I was under the impression that the humans thought they were totally alone in the universe. This kind of knowledge seems dangerous." He turned to Kale. "We should find out more about it. 'Flame-haired saiyan'? That sounds just like Master Vegeta! What if the humans are close to figuring out his secret identity?"

Kale put a hand on his shoulder. "Umm, Cabba, I think you might be overreacting a bit..." She winced, hoping that she had not hurt his feelings too much. "We shouldn't get distracted... what about Caulifla?"

"She's fine," Cabba said. "I can feel her fighting but it feels like more of a spar than a battle to the death. She's occupied."

"Okay..."

"We'll have to find a way to infiltrate the movie set. This warrants further investigation."

* * *

They blended in just nicely with the rest of the crowd, who were wearing all sorts of costumes. Cabba and Kale stood off the side of the set, watching as Barry Kahn filmed a scene, one with him drinking a beer like a badass.

"I can sense something bad coming," recited Barry Kahn, putting down the beer. "It must be those saiyans..."

"Good, good, and cut!" the director said. "Well done Barry, to take a break now."

Barry smirked. "Thanks boss. I'm gonna see how the girls are doing at the auditions."

"Sure thing. Be back in twenty!"

"It doesn't seem like anything bad is happening," Cabba noted. "Perhaps we should just leave. I don't think the humans know that much."

Kale nodded, eagerly, relieved that they would finally get to leave this noisy place. It was filled to the brim with people and that by itself made her feel extremely uncomfortable.

They were about to leave when a man in a tiger onesie ran up, panting. "Bad news, boss!" he said to the director. "The guy playing flame-hair just broke his leg trying to put on his pants!"

The director stood up, spilling his coffee everywhere. "What?! Oh no! We have to finish this movie by next week!" He clutched his face and sank to the floor. "Oh, why..."

The man in the tiger one piece pointed at Cabba. "What about him?"

Suddenly, the director shot up with a burst of newfound energy and dashed up to Cabba and Kale. "You're hired!"

Cabba sweatdropped. "S-sorry what? We were just about to go..."

But the director was already pushing him on the makeshift stage. "No buts! You're on. Luckily, you don't have any lines since the flame-haired guy is obviously weaker than the bald guy. We actually only have two more scenes with the flame-haired saiyan appearing before he gets killed by Jeremy."

Cabba didn't think his teacher would like it very much if he heard all the things that came from the man's mouth.

* * *

Vegeta sneezed.

Bra giggled at the sound, reaching up to try and grab her father's face.

"Why is it that I feel the sudden urge to kill Nappa all over again?" Vegeta wondered.

* * *

"What about Kale?" asked Cabba as the director continued to push him. "I don't like leaving her alone."

"She'll be fine! I'm having Daniel send her to the auditions. Wouldn't it be great if you two starred in the same film?"

"Wait! Kale doesn't want to audition -"

"HEY DANNY BOY! SEND THE GIRL OVER TO BLOCK B WHERE THE AUDITIONS ARE!"

Daniel, still clad in his tiger onesie, gave his superior a thumbs up and ushered Kale away, the girl's soft protests reaching deaf ears.

 _I'm sorry Kale!_ though Cabba as the director went back to his chair. _Just hold on for a bit!_ He wanted desperately to act, to run away, to fly away, but there were simply too many people around for him to do anything.

"And action!"

* * *

Terror was etched onto Kale's face as she stood with the other girls, the latter gossiping and giggling. She tried her best to make herself small and unnoticeable but was addressed anyway.

"Hey!" Val stared at Kale. "What's a mouse like you doing here?"

The chatter immediately ceased as the alpha smirked at the omega in the pack. Val tossed her red tresses back, purposely slapping Yumi with it. "Well? Say something. Or has the cat got your tongue, mouse?"

"Leave her alone," hissed Yumi, tugging at her sister's blouse. She was ignored.

"I'm sorry... I was sent here to wait," Kale spoke softly. "B-by the man in charge..."

Val snorted, the girls around them laughing mean spiritedly at Kale, who wished to become invisible or sink right into the earth. "That explains a lot," sneered Val. "You're not pretty enough to get here by looks alone. And you certainly have no talent for acting. Except maybe in a hentai where the girl doesn't say or do shit!"

The volume of the laughter increased dramatically, girls of all shapes and sizes cackling evilly like hyenas.

Kale didn't know what a hentai was but it didn't seem like a good thing at all.

"Enough!" shouted Yumi. "Leave her alone!"

Val hardly spared her little sister a glance. "Chill out Yumi. I'm just having some fun."

"You have a terrible sense of humour," huffed Yumi. _I ought to make her break out in hives with that new hex I learned._

"I'm sorry," said Kale, blinking back tears. "I didn't mean to offend."

"UGH!" groaned Val. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry! Is that all you're gonna say! Girl, you sound like a broken record!" She marched closer to Kale and shoved the saiyan onto the ground. "You're worthless."

No one noticed the seething Yumi, who couldn't bear to see such horrendous acts. Yumi stormed off. _I'll show 'em! I'll get revenge for that poor girl._ Just as she was about to set her backpack down, she noticed Cabba nearby, filming a scene reluctantly with the director.

"Okay, Cabbage!" shouted the director. "For this scene, we're gonna need you to jump over a stationary helicopter!"

Cabba nodded, not even caring that the director had called him by the wrong name. He just wanted to get this over and done with. They had had to film the previous scene twelve times because Mr Mucho kept messing up his lines.

Yumi watched in wonder as she watched Cabba accomplish what should have been an impossible feat. Her eyes followed his every movement, watching the way his lean muscles rippled in the sunlight, watching as a bead of sweat trailed down his temple. Her heart was racing. Her face was flushing. Her legs trembled and a string of drool found its way out of her gaping mouth and down her chin. _Oohh... I'm in love!_

Cabba glanced in her direction and Yumi quickly regained her composure, wiping the drool off her chin as she straightened. _Eek! The director's dismissing him now! I should go talk to him! He looks pretty young too, he can't be that much older than me._

* * *

Cabba was striding over to Block B when he was intercepted by a young girl with her brown hair cut in a pixie bob. He recognised her as the girl who had been watching him perform.

Yumi smiled shyly at him. "H-hi there!"

"Hello," replied Cabba. "Did you need something?"

"Y-yes! I was wondering if you could find my ring. I dropped it on the floor somewhere. It's really important to me. It was my mother's you see and she would be awfully mad if I came home without it."

"Uh, okay, sure thing." He got down on his knees and scuffled around the floor, looking for any sign of a ring.

 _Yes... that's right._ Yumi stared at his rump, nosebleeding slightly as she invented perverted fantasies. _You're doing great, big boy._

"I can't seem to find it," Cabba reported, standing up much to Yumi's disappointment. "Sorry about that. I have to go now, my friend is waiting for me and I don't like leaving them alone for too long."

"It's okay!" chirped Yumi. "I think it suddenly mysteriously reappeared back in my backpack!"

"Right... Then I'll just go -"

"Aww, stay with me," said Yumi, pouting to make herself look cute. She pressed her undeveloped chest against his and stroked his arm seductively. "Stay with me~"

Cabba looked down at her brown head, petrified for a moment before recovering himself. Was he really getting felt up by a little girl? "Sorry but I think we got off the wrong foot..."

"I'm in love with you!" Yumi confessed to stop him from leaving. "Marry me! I want to bear your children!"

"EH?! W-what?! Look, I'm sorry but I _don't_ like you in that manner!" He pulled her off. "Please stay away from me!" _She's crazy! I'm not a pedophile!_

Yumi could feel her heart shatter into a million pieces as she watched Cabba speed away. Unshed tears welled up inside her eyes. "But it was love..." Somehing new filled the hole in her chest as her sadness quickly turned to anger. _Everyone just wants to make me mad today, don't they?! First Val and then him._ One could almost hear the gears turn in her head as she schemed her revenge. It would loop Val's victim into the chaos but it was a sacrifice she had to make. She took out her spell book and started searching for an appropriate spell. _Love spells, love spells, love spells... Aha! Huh... if the affected are unsatisfied then all hell will literally break loose. Whatever. I'll reverse it before it happens._

And so the curse was cast on an unsuspecting Cabba.

* * *

 _ **Present time**_

Val rose into the air, her wispy smoke trailing from her eyes. "HOW DARE YOU REJECT ME!" She shot fire from her hands at Kale.

Cabba quickly jumped in front of her, forming a chi barrier around their bodies. "EVERYONE RUN!" he roared, pushing the flame back with his barrier.

It was pandemonium. People screamed and shoved each other out of the way as the demon fangirls took on Cabba and Kale. They piled up at the entrance of the building.

Cabba transformed into super saiyan, the transformation itself blowing away most of the demons. _They're not very strong._ _Between Kale and I, this will be easy!_ "Come on, Kale! Let's get them!"

"R-right!" Kale charged into battle, firing chi blasts at her opponents. The demons screeched in pain as they were hit, the energy burning their wings into crisps.

Yumi's eyes were wide as she watched the saiyans in action, quickly taking down the hellspawn. The terrifying creatures were really no threat to Cabba and Kale!

Val shrieked in frustration. The two had just taken down her demon henchwomen without even trying. _Oh well. No matter. I still have one last trick up my sleeve!_ She directed her hand at her fallen comrades, their unconscious bodies becoming encased in black flames as she added their power to her own. _Ahh... yes...!_ "TAKE THIS!" She shot a fireball at Kale, the ball of flame flying toward her faster than she had anticipated.

Kale shouted in pain as she comet struck her in the chest, sending her soaring backward. She crumpled to the ground, bleeding from where she had hit her head.

"KALE!" Cabba shouted, looking back at the wounded girl. She would be alright - she was just a bit winded. But... this demon _bitch_ had struck her! A familiar feeling welled up inside him - it was the same feeling he had felt last night when he had beaten Joe within an inch of his life. That human had hurt her. And now this demon had as well.

Val flew up to Kale, her hand outstretched. "Bye bye." She was about to shoot her attack when her eyes bulged, blood and spittle flying out of her mouth. Without even seeing what had attacked her, she was then thrown backward. She could only glimpse a super saiyan two Cabba when she tumbled through the air.

When she recovered, Cabba and Kale stood shoulder to shoulder. The former addressed the latter. "You ready?"

Kale nodded.

The two flew toward the empowered Val, one glowing gold and the other surrounded by a faint green tinge. "HAAAAHHH!"

Val's eyes widened. "Shit."

* * *

The police officer deadpanned at Yumi, who was staring up at him with wide chestnut eyes. He flipped through his notepad, skimming over everything that she had told him. "So you're telling me you turned your sister into a demon before she was defeated by a teenage boy and girl?"

"Mmhm!"

The officer sighed, scratching the back of his head. "Larry, take this kid for some icecream. I can't deal with this right now. Barry Kahn is suing everyone at Waves and Rocks Studios and Cocoa Amaguri is receiving death threats because of today's radio broadcast."

Yumi beamed up at the officer called Larry, a mustachioed man. "Thanks mister!"

"Don't push your luck, kid."

* * *

Cabba and Kale flew through the air. Their cover had already been blown when Cabba transformed in front of at least fifty cameras (most of which were destroyed subsequently) so there was really no harm in flying anymore.

"Cabba?" Kale said, avoiding his gaze. "You transformed today... how come?"

"She hurt you," mumbled Cabba, flying a little bit faster. His eyes hardened. "She had to be punished."

A chill ran down Kale's spine. _I never knew Cabba had such a huge sense of justice... or is it vengeance?_ "She called me a mouse," she admitted. "And worthless." _Why did I tell him that?_

"What?!" exclaimed Cabba, halting mid-flight.

"It's okay," said Kale, her eyes a downcast. "I just wanted you to know that she had it coming, I guess."

Cabba snarled, uncharacteristically aggressive. "If only I had made her pay a bit more...!"

Kale was shocked at her friend's words. She could not bring herself to respond - she didn't know how.

It was now night but Caulifla's chi was still active. The trio would be reunited soon.

* * *

 _ **A/N: This is one of my weaker chapters no doubt. I can't write long-running humor, that's a given for sure. This was just filler. I'm so sorry for posting such a weak chapter :')**_

 ** _Things will get back on track on the next chapter! (If things go to plan)_**


	8. Let's fly to the moon

Caulifla chewed on a stalk of grass as she observed Mount Paozu in the evening from the roof of her temporary home. Fireflies were scattered around the rocks, giving the place a whimsical feel. Crickets chirped in a cacophony, the sound rising and falling on occasion. Up in the sky, a crescent moon smiled down on the earth.

She thought back to the events of earlier today, how she had accidently flashed Goku and poor innocent Goten (and Pan). How could she be so careless? There were things that a person would never forget in their lifetime and for Caulifla this was one of them. She sighed, her face flushing slightly as the memory replayed itself in her head. Goten's outburst, though saving her from further embarrassment, made it all the more worse.

Just how was she going to face Goku tomorrow? Was the question that circled her mind. _I'll just have to soldier on. Frost always did say I was a good soldier. Fat lot of good that did._

She grimaced slightly as the Arcorsian became the new focus of her thoughts. A scar on the back of her neck tingled as she recalled to herself how she had gotten it. It was an ugly thing. Some scars were beautiful, because they represented or were the outcome of beautiful things. The mark on her neck only served to remind her of shame and whatnot.

Caulifla pushed Frost out of mind and imagined her protégée, Kale, and her reluctant new friend, Cabba. She knew that they were on earth but she had been too busy training to pay them any mind. Her heart worried for Kale, but she knew that Cabba was more than capable of protecting her. It wasn't as if she physically weak - it was her mind that was frail, her psyche filled with all sorts of insecurities.

Her friends were now in the air, she realized. And heading straight toward her. They were still far away and if they continued their leisurely pace, they would arrive in about an hour. A smile played on Caulifla's lips as she played out their reunion in her head, one which would consist of her hugging Kale and telling her that she was proud of her and subsequently smacking a Cabba upside the head for not doing a good enough job of looking after her. Kale would then protest meekly against Caulifla and ask Cabba if he was okay. The latter would nod while clutching his head and she, Caulifla, would be laughing as the exchange happened.

 _I miss you Kale._ She spat out the stalk of grass she had been chewing and crossed her arms underneath her head. _It's a beautiful night. Are you seeing this too Kale? Are you looking up at the same moon as I am? I hope you are. Or maybe you're too busy keeping Cabba in check. I wouldn't blame you for that. I felt his power grow exponentially today. Has he unlocked a new super saiyan form?_

Her eyes widened in alarm as she realized something. _All the earth fighters simply must know we're here! If so, why aren't they doing anything against a 'saiyan invasion'?_ She relaxed slightly. _It's because we're not causing any trouble. Is that right? Does that mean earth is a safe haven for those seeking a sanctuary?_ Planet Earth was certainly a peaceful, placid place, more so than Planet Sadala ever was. Sadala had been ravaged by superpower wars in the past, back when nobody except for her knew that it was Frost causing and resolving all the trouble. He hadn't bought their planet in the end as he saw the saiyans as potential playthings. How terrible it had felt as she was forced to idly stand by while her brethren went to war. She would have revealed the truth kicking and screaming - but she had been bound by a Warrior's Honor. The code had made her virtually helpless. _Tch. Only fools would follow that code. I see that now. There is no honor in subjecting yourself to slavery for the sake of a life debt. And as for me... I only trade in favors. Nothing more, nothing less._

Caulifla went on the alert as she felt Goku leave his home and travel up the mountain to where she was. _What does he want?_ She glared at the night sky. _This better not be about earlier today or I will castrate him._

"Hey," Caulifla greeted when she felt his prescence behind her.

"Hey," Goku replied, lying down next to her. "Want some company?"

"To be frank, no."

He stayed anyway. "Y'know, I used to do this with my grandpa all the time whenever there wasn't a full moon. He would tell me stories about the moon and the Princess of Heaven."

"Princess of Heaven?" echoed Caulifla, curious. "Does such a princess exist?" She imagined a lovely woman with flowing black hair wearing a pink kimono.

"I dunno. I never met her while I was dead. I remember looking for her when I had days off from training but I never saw hide nor hair of her."

Caulifla sat up, her eyes widening. "Wait hold up. You've died before?"

"Yep," said Goku with a small chuckle. "Twice actually. My brother Raditz came to earth one day and kidnapped my son. Piccolo was forced to kill both him and me to defeat him. That was the first time I died. The second was when Cell self destructed and I got caught in the blast."

"What are you, immortal?" Caulifla deadpanned, albeit secretly impressed.

Goku laughed, the first time that night since Chi Chi had couched him without even saying a word about it. "No, not exactly. I wouldn't want to be immortal either. It's a lonely existence."

Caulifla silently agreed. The duo stared up at the sky for a period of quietness, watching as clouds passed over the moon, dimming the light.

"Do you want to hear one?"

Caulifla looked over at Goku. "Hear one what?"

"One of the stories that grandpa told me about the moon. You told me a story, so I should too."

Caulifla rolled her eyes. "That's different. What I told you was something that actually happened to me. A myth isn't going to pay it back or anything."

Goku sat up like her and shrugged. "Doesn't matter. You might find it interesting."

"I doubt that but fine. I'm listening."

Goku began his story. He told Caulifla of Chang'e, a beautiful young girl who lived in the Jade Emperor's palace in heaven until she was banished to earth when she broke a porcelain jar ("What?!" Caulifla had exclaimed. "That's such a stupid reason to exile someone!") Chang'e then fell in love with the man who shot down ten suns: Hou Yi. He became king and married Chang'e but ruled as a tyrant who sought immortality ("Boy does that sound familiar," Goku commented, thinking of a certain Arcorsian.) A pill for immortality was discovered but Chang'e ate it before her husband could, enraging him to the point where she fled, flying up the moon, where she became a toad, a punishment inflicted by Queen Mother. Hou Yi eventually built a palace and ascended to the sun, and the pair came to represent the yin and yang.

"That..." Caulifla said when he finished, trailing off. "Sounded absolutely ridiculous."

"Told ya you would like it!"

"Did you just hear me?! I said it was ridiculous!"

"But you liked it. I can tell."

Caulifla snorted. "If I were Chang'e I would have kicked Hou Yi's ass."

Goku smiled genuinely at her. "I would have liked to see that."

She didn't know why but Goku's comment suddenly made her feel more self-aware. She played off her discomfort. "Yeah. You could have taken tips from _me_ as I beat that asshole up."

The silence that ensued was difficult to differentiate from comfortable and awkward. It was sitting on a line between those two things.

"Goodnight, Cauli," Goku said, breaking the silence. "Chi Chi will be wondering where I am in the morning." He rose to his feet and stretched. "See you tomorrow."

"Night," Caulifla answered gruffly. She would be retiring to bed soon anyway after she met up with Cabba and Kale. Another long day of training was laid ahead tomorrow.

* * *

"Her chi is really calm and steady," Cabba noted as he probed Caulifla with his senses. "She must be asleep or falling asleep."

In the distance, the faint silhouette of Grandpa Gohan's house could be made out thanks to the moon. As they got closer, Cabba and Kale could see Caulifla curled up on the roof of the house with a blanket wrapped around her body.

"Caulifla!" Kale gasped excitedly, relief washing over her. She was okay. Her sis was okay. "Do you think we should wake her? What if she gets mad?"

"She'd be even angrier if we didn't," Cabba pointed out. "From what I've seen, she really cares for you a lot. She'll want to see you."

Kale nodded, reassured by his words before remembering something. Her face reddened and she was grateful for the cloak the darkness provided. "Umm Cabba, I've been meaning to ask you something."

"Hm? What is it Kale?"

Kale looked down, her pupils dilating nervously. "Umm..."

Cabba put a hand on her shoulder. "Come on Kale, you know you can tell me anything."

 _Well..._ Kale hesitated. _Here goes..._ "Did you mean it when you said I was your, "she swallowed, "... girlfriend?"

There was a gagging noise and Kale's eyes widened in alarm as Cabba hunched over, having choked on his own saliva. Kale levitated closer to him, patting his back. "Oh, Cabba! Are you okay? Are you sick?"

It took a full minute before he completely recovered. Kale put a hand on his forehead and then his cheeks. "You're burning up!" she exclaimed. "Oh no, you're having a fever. Let's get you to sis, maybe she has some medicine."

"Kale," Cabba protested weakly. "I'm not sick, it's okay. I'm not having a fever."

"Oh..." She looked downcast. "I'm s-sorry."

"No, no! It's fine. Thanks for l-looking out for me, Kale." He awkwardly embraced her. "Sorry for worrying you."

Kale beamed up at him and he felt his face burn up again.

He flew a bit further ahead. "Well, let's go wake her!" _Damn... she's bound to ask me again. What do I say to her?_ He blinked when he realized that there was another unanswered question. _Do I like her?_ To his relief, he was saved from answering his own question when they touched down on the roof, approaching Caulifla cautiously.

Kale reached out to her, tugging on Caulifla's blanket slightly. "Hi sis," she whispered gleefully. "It's me. I'm here."

Caulifla's eyes opened.

* * *

 _"What?" Caulifla said in disbelief, staring at Renso. "No... no this can't be. You're bluffing."_

 _Renso shook his head. "I'm sorry Cauli... but I'm not." A new light flashed in his eyes, making his irises glint in the night. "I want to join the Sadala Defence Force. It's what I want to do - defend our planet and innocents."_

Let those weaklings defend themselves! _Caulifla wanted to scream._ Stay here... stay with me... please...

 _"But you'll be leaving me here all alone," Caulifla said, purposely making herself sound as pathetic as possible. "What if I get hurt? Or eaten?!"_

 _Renso's eyes lit up with amusement. "Don't be silly Cauli, you're the toughest thing around these woods. I've seen you take down Laggerwomps and Demislors by yourself."_

 _"You don't understand!" blurted Caulifla, growing increasingly frustrated. "The Sadala Defence Forces aren't what you think they are!"_

 _"Oh? Then enlighten me."_

 _Once again, that stupid Warrior's Honor had her in a bind. "I... I can't. I'm sworn not to!"  
_

 _"Then I'm sorry. I've made my mind, I'm going," Renso told her firmly. "Mother and Father would have agreed with me."_

 _Caulifla stared at Renso, shocked that he had just pulled the dead parents card on her. Tears welled up in her eyes. "NO! No, they wouldn't have! BECAUSE THEY KNEW HOW EVIL HE IS AND THAT'S WHY THEY'RE NOT HERE ANYMORE!"_

 _"What?! Cauli, what are you talking about?"_

 _"WHY ARE YOU GOING TO WORK FOR HIM?!" She grabbed him by the shirt collar. "TELL ME!"_

 _"I'm helping Sadala!" Renso snapped, his own temper getting the better of him. "I'll be bringing justice to the world! And I'm not gonna let my kid sister get in the way!" He pushed her off him, sending her tumbling to the ground._

 _Caulifla stood up slowly, brushing grass off her pants. "You lied to me," she accused, her voice choking up. "You said you would be here for me." She wiped the first tear away. "You said you would protect me. But you were too late." The bodies of her deceased parents flashed through her mind. He hadn't been there that day either. "You're always too late."_

 _"Cauli..."_

 _"YOU'RE ALWAYS TOO LATE!" A burst of chi engulfed her and she stiffly walked forward. "It's been nice knowing you. But no brother of mine would ever choose duty over family."_

 _Renso gaped at her. "Caulifla! What are you saying -"_

 _"DO YOU HEAR ME?! NO BROTHER OF MINE WOULD EVER CHOOSE DUTY OVER FAMILY. RENSO. DO YOU HEAR ME?!" She pointed to the house they shared. "THAT. YOU SEE THAT?! YOU BUILT THAT WITH YOUR OWN TWO HANDS. SO FINE. IT'S YOURS. BUT HELL WILL FREEZE OVER THE DAY I RETURN!"_

 _Renso's arms dropped to the side. His features hardened. "Fine. So be it."_

 _"... So be it."_

* * *

Caulifla's eyes opened, completely glazed over. She sat up, grabbing the first body she could by the shirt collar. "RENSO!" She shook the person roughly. "RENSO DON'T GO!"

Cabba gasped for air when she moved her hand up to his neck and squeezed. "C-cuh... li...fla!"

"S-sis!" cried Kale, grabbing Caulifla by the shoulders. "Sis stop it!" Tears began to run down her cheeks. "Stop it, sis! Please!"

Caulifla's eyes slowly unclouded. "K-Kale?" she stammered uncertainly, releasing Cabba to clutch her blanket so tightly until her knuckles whitened. "Is that you?" Before she could let her reply, Caulifla tackled Kale in an embrace, feeling the younger girl's tears wet her shirt. "Kale...! You're here!"

Kale smiled weakly. "Yes. I'm here, sis. You don't have to be alone anymore..."

Cabba stood off the side awkwardly, rubbing the sore area where Caulifla had grabbed him. Fading red hand prints could be seen around his neck. Caulifla finally looked up at him. "Hey... Cabba."

Cabba waved. "It's nice to see you again Caulifla."

Caulifla tried to smile at him but it turned into more of a grimace. This reunion wasn't going at all how she had planned it! "Sorry about just then. I had, uh, a bad dream you could say..."

"It's okay. You have a really powerful grip though."

The trio caught up, chattering until it was past midnight. Caulifla, who had managed to avoid the topic of today's training during the conversations, stood up and stretched, yawning. "I have training with Goku tomorrow. I should probably get some sleep. You guys are gonna stay with me okay? Kale can sleep with me in the futon and Cabba has the floor." He groaned and she grinned at him. "Don't be like that. I'll get another futon from the Sons tomorrow."

"Do I at least get a blanket?" Cabba inquired.

"The cupboard," Caulifla replied, jumping down from the roof, the blanket around her body fluttering in the wind. "I have to say, I missed you guys."

"Of course," Cabba said with mock arrogance. "What's not to miss about me?"

Caulifla whacked him upside the head just like she had imagined herself doing before. "Don't get cocky."

Kale giggled, looping her arm through Caulifla's and Cabba's.

For the first time since Renso had disappeared from her life, Caulifla slept soundly that night.

* * *

After the tournament, Frost had returned to slumming it out. The rain on this world was highly acidic and Frost felt his cloak slowly sizzle away as he wandered through the alleyway. This planet, Planet Virkulian, was one of the only planets left that did not have a bounty on his head. For once, he was glad that he had not gotten the chance to start and end any wars on what was now his sanctuary.

He and Freeza had conspired prior to the tournament and Frost had promised to revive him. It didn't look like that was happening anytime soon but Frost was eager to fulfill his promise to his Universe 7 counterpart.

His breath reeked and his entire body stank, having not bathed or freshened up since the tournament began. He skulked down another interconnecting alley, pausing when he saw a hooded figure in his path. The needle on his left hand, the one which contained a killer poison, emerged beneath his ragged cloak.

The two hooded figures stared each other down.

"Remove yourself from my path," Frost rasped, pointing his needle at them. "NOW!"

The figure remained unmoving.

"Who are you," demanded Frost, trembling. "What business do you have with me?!" He screeched and attacked, jabbing his poison needles left and right. Much to his frustration, none of his blows hit. "Stay still!"

Suddenly, he found his wrist in a crushing grip. A pale, bone white hand had shot out to grab his arm, carefully avoiding the needle. Then, to his utmost surprise, he was released. The person was now at his mercy, sacrificing whatever chance they might have had when they released him.

"Who are you?" Frost reiterated, more relaxed.

They pulled down their hood and Frost stared in disbelief.

" _You."_

Kafara grinned wickedly from ear to ear. "Welcome back."

Frost's resonating screams could be heard throughout the entire city.

* * *

 _ **A/N: PHEW! That was a doozy. So we have the Universe 6 saiyan trio reunited and Goku and Caulifla have a small bonding session. The story he tells her is a Chinese legend called Change'e Flying to the Moon. We also have Caulifla dreaming of the night she and Renso went their seperate ways. And of course, at the end, we see Frost and Kafara reunite...**_

 _ **Please review! :3**_


	9. Answering reviews

**Hi there! It's me... the author. I don't know who else you were expecting. So, uh, yeah. Surprise? Anyway, you may be wondering what the hell this is. And to answer your query, it's just me answering some questions and reviews. Because I want to.**

 **Yeah.**

 **Um.**

 **There'll be a one shot at the end so this chapter won't break the site rules.**

 **Um.**

 **Yeah.**

 **Let's get started?**

* * *

 **ares:** im lost who is kaffara is she friezas race

 **Answer: An OC who will feature in this story. She is not an Arcorsian like Frost or Freeza. She was introduced in chapter 6 as part of Caulifla's flashback. We'll learn more about her as the story progresses.**

 **Trofulds:** This chapter was hilarious, not gonna lie, I skimmed through most of it until I saw Vegeta mentioning Nappa (Pretty sure that was a reference to DBZ Abridged, right?) and I just reread the whole chapter and OMG it was hilarious, seriously can't wait for more. Also, what did you think of tonight's episode 100? I really liked Goku's interaction with Caulifla and how it somehow resembled this fanfic lol

 **Answer: Aww, thanks! Also I loved the latest episode and yes there was some reference to DBZ Abridged.**

 **ares:** can you give a sign of vados what she thinks of goku

goku x vados in futher chapters

 **Answer: Sorry but Vados x Goku will not be a ship featured in Ascending. There are other fics for that. In fact, there's a popular smut fic of the two in the Super category of fanfiction.**

 **MLPStevenUniverseLPS:** Goku X Caulifla seems really slow. That is probably good. I wanna see Kale and Cabba more anyway!

Haha Love the Kale and Cabba moment! So cute. They are adorable! How does Kale feel since Cabba didn't reply? Do they kiss soon? I want more! Also more awkwardness!

I dislike Renso in this...especially since he did take the forces over Caulifla in an ultimatum... And I know I didn't but.. You should make it soo hard for Caulifla to forgive him. (I am a loner and have aways been abandoned tbh so this doubly upsets me)

You update so often but we all want more.

More Kale X Cabba please?

 **Answer: It is supposed to be a slowburn fic. I'm glad you enjoyed the Cabba x Kale fluff. As for Renso, he has a strong sense of justice and the instinct to protect. Caulifla won't forgive him so easily so I hope that satisfies you. Also I don't know if you or anyone else picked this up but Frost created the Sadala Defence Forces. Which is why Caulifla demanded to know why Renso was going to 'work under him'. More will be explained on this. Yikes, more Cabba and Kale? We'll wait and see XD**

 **Albertino155:** me encanto el capitulo se me hiso muy bueno y la participacion de vegeta ni se diga jejeje sin mas espero el proximo capitulo con ansias y esperar para ver como goku se queda o esta con caulifla exito

 **Answer: Muchas gracias! Me alegro de que te guste Vegeta.**

 **IcYPaTh:** Finally a fanfic with a decent writing. Can't wait to see more of Universe 6 Saiyans with their Universe 7 counterparts, especially Cauli.

(Caulifla is bae)

 **Answer: Thank you! Caulifla is indeed bae hehe.**

 **Meazm:** Great chapter!

 **Answer: Thank you!**

* * *

Well that's all the reviews I'll be answering this time. Sorry if I didn't get to yours.

* * *

Gohan was a nice fellow who lived in Herculopolis with his lovely wife Videl and his adorable daughter Pan. He worked as a professor at Herculopolis University, where he took great pleasure imparting knowledge onto the next generation of scholars. Whenever he wasn't working, he could always be found spending time with his family. He was your average member of society. At least that's what everyone who _thought_ they knew him supposed.

You see, though Gohan was undeniably a nerd who loved studying and whatnot, he equally enjoyed gallivanting around the city as his alter ego: The Great Saiyaman! His wife had despaired over what she thought was 'the lamest superhero ever' but eventually got used to it and even joined her husband in the business of crime-fighting - not that she hadn't already had experience in the field. She was, after all, Videl Satan, daughter of the Champion of the World and martial artist extraordinaire!

So Saiyagirl and Saiyaman patrolled the streets of Herculopolis, keeping the place safe and sound. As safe and as sound as what was 'the most violent city in the world' could be anyway. The duo were currently flying overhead their friend Kuririn, who also did his part in enforcing the law as a police officer. True, the diminutive man had gotten a few skeptical looks from his colleagues at first but he had quickly earned his keep as a member of the force.

Kuririn zoomed past stationary cars on his electromagnetic hoverbike, swerving expertly around old grannies who thought they owned the roads because the officers were always reluctant in arresting an old person for something as trivial as jaywalking. He was in hot pursuit after some jewelry thieves.

Videl looked down at the chase. "Should we help him?"

"Nah," replied Gohan. "He's got this, you'll see. You know he doesn't like it when we 'do his job for him'."

"If you say so."

They continued to follow Kuririn, who had managed to corner the thieves on a dead end street. He got off his bike, watching the thieves intently as they got out of their hot rod with their loot. "Hands up," Kuririn ordered, not even bothering to draw his gun. "You two are under arrest."

The only response he got was two bullets fired at him. Kuririn sighed and caught the bullets effortlessly. "We can either do this the easy way or the hard way, fellas," he told them. "Seriously, just give up. I have to meet my wife at the cafe in half an hour and she's way stronger than me. Imagine what she'll do to you if she finds out that you delayed me because you insisted on being jackasses about this whole thing."

The thieves stared at him in disbelief, Gohan and Videl snorting at their expressions from a nearby rooftop.

"W-we give up!" said one of the thieves, kneeling with his hands behind his head, the other one following suit.

"Good job, Kuririn," Gohan praised as he floated down to the street, Videl at his heels. "You sure gave them a scare."

"Just doin' my job, Mr Saiyaman," Kuririn answered jokingly before radioing headquarters. "Yeah I got two robbers over here who are handcuffed and subdued. I'm gonna need a police car to take them back to the station."

Not far away, Goku and Caulifla stood on a rooftop, having watched the entire scene unfold. "That's him?" asked Caulifla. "That's Kuririn?"

Goku nodded. "Yep. He has a job as a police officer so you'll mostly see him around the city watching over the place."

Caulifla made a noncommittal noise, zoning out slightly. "He looks so different down there. It's like seeing him a new light almost."

"Yeah..." Goku clapped his hands together. "Okay! Back to training. Cabba and Kale are still waiting for us, remember?"

"Mm, okay."

* * *

 **That's all. Like I said, just a quick oneshot because I felt like updating twice today (and I love Gohan and Videl!). I've updated daily so far but I might not get to do so anymore. We'll see what happens. Don't get too disappointed if I don't update as often as I am now.**

 **Thanks so much for all the reviews I got! I've never gotten this many before. It astounds me, really.**


	10. Brewing tensions

"Wake up! Wake up, wake up, wake up!" Goten bounced on top of Caulifla, Kale and Cabba, causing them to cry out indignantly.

"What do you think you're doing, you stinking brat?" grumbled Caulifla, getting up.

"Dad told me to wake you up since you're late for training," Goten told her.

Caulifla's eyes widened in alarm. "Oh shit. He is not gonna let this go, is he?" _Goddammit! I knew I shouldn't have stayed up so late last night!_

She quickly got dressed, Kale and Cabba staring at her as she moved like a whirlwind around the entire house.

"Should we be the doing the same thing?" Cabba wondered aloud, cocking his head slightly. "I'm curious to see what kind of training Caulifla does. What about you, Kale?"

"I-I don't really mind..."

"Then it's settled!" chimed Goten. "You guys can come with us!" He shot a glance at Caulifla, who had stopped her hurrying.

Caulifla narrowed her eyes at him. _Don't tell me..._

"Make sure your boobies don't go all nakey again, okay Caulifla?" Goten said innocently, blinking sweetly at the female saiyan.

Caulifla sighed in defeat as she watched Cabba's mouth drop to the floor and Kale look away, blushing. _God fucking damn it, kid._

Cabba was the first to recover. "Uh, Caulifla... what does he mean by that?" His cheeks flushed as he thought of something. "May I ask what kind of training you've been doing with Goku?"

"IT'S NOT LIKE THAT!" shrieked Caulifla, throwing a bolster at him, hitting him square in the face. "Cabba!"

"It's okay sis... we won't judge you..."

"Eh?! Not you too Kale!"

"S-sorry...!"

Caulifla pinched the bridge of her noise. "No, no... sorry for snapping at you Kale." She gave the younger girl an apology hug. "But you, Cabba!" She glared at him from behind Kale. "Get it into your thick fucking skull! We're not doing anything of _that_ sort!"

"You sure swear a lot, lady," Goten commented unhelpfully. "Be glad my mom isn't here or she'd whoop your butt!"

"Oh really?" Caulifla withdrew from Kale, unconsciously tightening her gi as she did so. "I bet I could take your mom any day."

"That's what mister Vegeta used to think!"

Caulifla wasn't entirely sure how to respond to that she so she changed the subject instead. "Whatever. Let's not keep your father waiting."

* * *

Goku smirked as Caulifla landed. "Have a nice sleep?"

In the end, Cabba and Kale had opted not to go, instead choosing to spend the day with Goten. Caulifla had a feeling that it had something to do with Goten's outburst that morning. Did Cabba really believe the only training she was getting from Goku was for the bedroom?

Caulifla scowled at him. "Shut up. What are we doing today?"

"We'll since you slept in, I have a little change in schedule for you."

"Oh great. So you're punishing me now?"

Goku shook his head. "Try not to think of it as a punishment." He smiled cheekily. "Even if it is."

Caulifla frowned in contemplation. _What does he have planned?_

 _Boy will she be in for a surprise,_ thought Goku as he took out a capsule and tossed it. The capsule exploded in a puff of white smoke and in its place was a neatly folded gi. After talking with Caulifla last night, he had gone up to the Lookout for Piccolo's assistance in materialising stronger, hardier and heavier clothing for Caulifla to wear. The gi and undershirt carried a combined weight of twenty five thousand pounds while the wristbands and boots were four thousand pounds each.

"Is that it?" Caulifla asked, unimpressed.

"Change into it and you'll see," Goku told her, grinning impishly.

Caulifla picked up the bundle with some strain. "What the hell is this?"

"Weighted training gear," Goku told her. "Before we move onto blue I think we should strengthen your base form first. Which means no super saiyan during the entire exercise."

"I get it," Caulifla said. "If my weaker form experiences an increase of stamina and strength then the difference should carry on into my super saiyan forms, correct?"

"Hah! You're catching on quick, Cauli."

"It's not the first time I've done this sort of training. Frost did something similar..." She zoned off slightly before snapping out of it. "Never mind. Don't look."

Goku scratched his head, confused. "Wha -"

In one swift move, the top half of Caulifla's gi was off and lying in an undignified heap on the ground. Goku quickly looked away. He didn't know whether to consider himself lucky or unlucky to have not caught any glimpse of her round breasts again. _Erk! I didn't realize she'd change right here!_ The thoughts he had had two nights ago flooded back into his mind and he resisted the urge to smash his head into a rock lest he draw attention to himself. He could feel that uncomfortable tightening in his nether regions once again.

"Hey." Caulifla's gruff voice snapped him out of it. "Can Kale and Cabba join me in training?" There was a grunt; she was now putting on her boots. "I know you know that they're here."

"Sure, if they want," answered Goku, still not turning around. Thankfully, he could feel his body cool as his arousal ebbed away. "It'd be nice having more training partners, wouldn't it?"

"It would bring some familiarity into the situation," Caulifla admitted. "Okay I'm done you can turn around now."

Goku sighed in relief and did just that. "So are they going to be joining us today?"

"No. They'll join us tomorrow to learn how to control their super saiyan forms." She wheeled her arms about to get some feeling into them before eyeing her uniform disdainfully. "Did you have to make it orange and blue? I look like another you."

Goku chuckled, putting a hand on top of her hair. "Yeah, except shorter!"

"... fuck off. I'm sorry if we all can't be gigantic as you," she said dryly. "Anyway, what training are we doing? I feel as weak as a human in these."

Goku grinned at her. "Oh, you'll see."

* * *

Caulifla stared at the box of milk placed in front of her. "I wasn't aware delivering milk counted as training."

"Heh. You'll be surprised how helpful it can be," said Goku, picking up his own box of milk cartons. "We'll be going around the entire 439 Mountain Area. Now let's go!"

To Caulifla's surprise, the man skipped off. She had never realized how weird it was to see a grown man to skip like a schoolgirl until she actually witnessed it for herself. The saiyan hastily jogged after her mentor, the milk bottles rattling as the crate bounced in her arms. Despite her weights, she managed to catch up to him with relative ease.

"You're doing it wrong," Goku chided, clicking his tongue.

"What? What are you talking about? Just what am I doing wrong? I'm delivering the damn milk, aren't I?"

"You've got to skip, Cauli! Skip, skip!" He made sure to emphasise his point by executing a flamboyant skip.

Caulifla blushed from second hand embarrassment, her left eye twitching slightly. "You _cannot_ be serious."

"Skip, skip!" came her response.

"No way in hell will I -"

"Skip, skip!"

"Oh for goodness sake..." Caulifla forced her legs to imitate a skipping motion, knowing Goku would only keep pestering her about it if she didn't comply with his ridiculously stupid instructions.

"I can't hear you Caulifla!"

"Huh?! What do you want now?"

"You've got to get your head in the game! Or in this case, the training. Repeat after me, skip, skip!"

Caulifla's frustrated shout could be heard all the way from the Son household.

* * *

In one hour, they managed to deliver the milk to every single household on the island. By the time they were finished, Caulifla was hot, sweaty and pissed. A vein bulged on her forehead, accentuating her anger.

"Now wasn't that fun?" inquires Goku, well aware that she could snap anytime soon.

"Yes, fun," Caulifla said through gritted teeth. "It was real _fun_ to get chased by a fucking dinosaur around the entire run and then get cursed with 'seven years of bad luck' by accidently breaking a witch's mirror." Another vein appeared close to her temple. "It was _a real fun time!"_ She threw her fist out, nailing him straight in the face and sending him on a trajectory straight toward a pterodactyl nest.

Luckily, Goku managed to catch himself in the air before he could obliterate the nest. "Hey now, don't be like that."

"Shut up." She transformed into super saiyan, the weight on her body lessening considerably. "Shut up and fight me."

The rest of the afternoon was spent in fighting.

* * *

"Hey, um, Goten right?" said Cabba when Caulifla had long since left the house and Goten had long since introduced himself. "What did you mean when you were talking about her... uh... boobies, was it?"

"Oh, that's easy," replied Goten, looking pleased to be answering a question he actually knew the answer to. He proceeded to tell them of how Caulifla had been fighting with Goku, the both of them half-naked, the top halves of their gis having been removed. Conveniently, he left out the part where they had been having intense spar prior to his unprecedented arrival, having obviously not seen in happen. He had felt it happen, however, but was not intuitive enough to put two and two together.

"That doesn't sound like sis at all," murmured Kale. "She'd never agree to anything like that." _Not anymore anyway..._ In her mind's eye, she recalled the early days when she and Caulifla had just met. Kale had been only a preteen while Caulifla was entering her twenties. After losing her brother, the latter had become quite promiscuous, and it was only after much pleading on Kale's behalf that Caulifla had stopped her sexual antics. Those darker days were something that they never spoke of.

"I agree," said Cabba. "Are you sure you saw right?"

Goten nodded vigorously. "I did! It was all... big and round... and pink near the middle."

"I believe you!" Cabba said hastily, not wanting anymore childish descriptions of Caulifla's assets.

Fortunately, Goten was distracted by a thought he had. "Oh shoot! Mom told me to go pick up some groceries from the store today!"

"Groceries?" echoed Cabba, remembering the store he had shopped at. It was also the same place where those human men had dare hurt Kale. Kale had told Caulifla about it when the older female inquired about the bandages on her arms and how Caulifla had yelled! Cabba could still feel the bruise on his head where she had struck him mercilessly for not doing a good enough job of protecting Kale.

"You should come with me," Goten said. "I won't let anything bad happen to you guys!"

Cabba and Kale exchanged a smile, the former slightly amused that a child was vowing to protect them instead of vice versa.

"We'll go," Kale said, unable to resist Goten's cuteness. "Where is this grocery store?"

"Pretty near! In Chazke Village! Gohan's friend Lime lives there."

* * *

Dusk was approaching when their battle ended. Both of the warriors were lying on the floor, completely exhausted. During the fight, they had both transformed into super saiyan three, completely decimating the area and their opponents. Goku could have chosen to end it by transforming into super saiyan blue, but the prospect of a challenge was far more exciting to him.

"Haha..." Caulifla laughed weakly, her chest rising and falling with considerable effort. "I... totally kicked your ass today..."

"Really?" huffed Goku. "I seem to recall differently."

"Your memory's getting worse, Old Man," Caulifla teased, her ribs hurting as she chuckled.

"Hey!" Goku whined. "I'm not that old!"

"Take a look in the mirror then maybe you'll reconsider!"

They continued to banter until Goku got up to his feet rather steadily for someone who looked like they had just been in a cage fight and lost. Caulifla rose to her feet as well, her knees slightly wobbling before buckling underneath the weight of her clothing.

"Ah, shit!" She fell forward, bracing herself for a harsh impact. But instead of ending up with a mouthful of grass, she felt herself in Goku's arms. Her face was buried in his abdomen; it was no surprised that his musky warrior's scent filling her nose. She could feel something more primal stir within her as she inhaled his musk, his scent feeling more and more like a drug to her.

It was evident Goku was experiencing the same thing, Caulifla's enticing scent fogging his mind. How could anything smell so deliciously sweet? She smelled nothing like the exotic perfumes that Bulma wore or the soapy smell of Chi Chi's skin after a shower. They had both been sweating and fighting all day - how could she smell so good?

Goku snapped out of their entranced state first. "Uh, Cauli? You okay now?"

Caulifla blinked before becoming aware once again and pushing off Goku. "Yeah, I'm fine now. Nothing a sensu bean won't fix." She yawned. "I'm tired... it's been a long day. Kale will be wondering where I am." The excuse sounded pathetic, even to her own ears. "See you."

"Goodnight." _I should be getting back home to Chi Chi anyway. I haven't apologized to her yet._

* * *

"Goku," Chi Chi said in mild surprise. "You're back."

"Hi, Chi," Goku said, feeling a rock of guilt roll in his stomach. For what he didn't know, but right now he felt no better then those men who cheated on their wives on Vegeta's favorite soap operas. He was confused as to why he was feeling so low - he had done nothing to be unfaithful to Chi Chi after all.

Chi Chi stood up from the chair she was sitting on and embraced Goku, though the hug was stiff and cold. "I missed you." There was more feeling injected into her words, and though even an outsider could tell that she really had missed him, the words felt hollow to Goku.

"I missed you too," said Goku, awkwardly patting her back. Another landslide of guilt struck him. He had just lied to his wife for the first time. And he didn't regret it. "Listen Chi, I'm sorry about what I said last night. I didn't mean for it to sound like it did."

"Oh... truth be told I had forgotten about that." Goku frowned slightly but she took no notice. "But I'm glad you came to your senses and apologized."

Something about her words made him feel a slight remorse for apologizing to her. Was it the condescending nature of her words? Or was it the tone that she said them in, making him feel no better than a pet of hers?

"What's for dinner? Caulifla and I had a long day."

Whatever softness Chi Chi had displayed before was now all but gone. She narrowed her eyes at him. "Well then why don't you go to Caulifla for dinner, huh?! You seem to like spending time with her more than me!"

"What? No, Chi Chi, it's because I agreed to train her."

"Ugh! Oh Goku, you blind fool! Can't you see what you're doing to me? Why do you think we haven't been intimate lately? It's because of her! I wanted to remind you of what you were missing but you're too ignorant to even notice!" She passed her hand through her hair. "Maybe you can't see it but I can. I can see what she's doing to you! You're falling in love with her!"

"Chi Chi! I don't love her, I love you! I always have! We've been married this long, I wouldn't leave you now!"

"Not all marriages stay together," Chi Chi said harshly.

"You're being unfair Chi Chi. You're making it seem like our marriage is destined to fall apart." He crossed his arms.

"Hah! I'm being unfair?! What's unfair is that after all these years together, you still let another woman barge into our lives and take you away from me!"

"Mom? Dad?" Goten blinked his large eyes at them, having just entered the house. "Lime invited me and Cabba and Kale to stay with her for the night... is that okay?"

"Yes... yes that's fine," permitted Chi Chi, sounded more exhausted than ever. "Come back in the morning, sweetheart."

Goten smiled brightly. "Okay!"

Once Goten was gone, Chi Chi turned back to her husband. "Go. Please leave, Goku... I don't really want to fight with you anymore..."

"But Chi Chi -"

"Please, Goku! Just give me a night alone... just one night." She glared at the wall. "It's not like as if another night of being alone would make much of a difference anyway."

"... Fine." He started walking out the door before stopping. "I love you Chi Chi. I really do. But sometimes I think you don't really know me at all. I like spending time with Caulifla because she's my friend and my trainee. I'm allowed to be close to her, aren't I?"

Then he was gone.

* * *

Kale and Cabba did not return that night but Caulifla could feel their calm chis not too far away. It looked like she'd be spending the night alone again. She rolled over in her futon to face the window. The moon was mostly covered by thick black clouds tonight but some light still managed to escape the cloaking darkness.

She was nearly asleep when she felt someone else enter the building. She sat up and rubbed her eyes blearily. "Goku?"

"Mind if I stay here with you tonight?" he asked, looking lost and forlorn. But Caulifla would ask no questions for tonight. Those could come later.

"Sure." She avoided his gaze. "You've done a lot for me already. It's the least I can do."

"Thanks."

She had meant the floor and was surprised when she felt Goku's warm body press against hers. But she didn't mind. She curled against his back. "Trouble in paradise?"

"Yeah... but I'd rather not talk about it right now."

"Mm. Not talking is fine."

There was a pregnant pause.

"I want to tell you more about me," Caulifla said, staring off into the darkness. "Not about me specifically... but just pay attention."

He did not answer but she knew he was listening attentively.

* * *

 _She had truly meant every word she had said to him and still meant it. Renso would never be a part of her life again. Caulifla had left him fuming at what was once their house. Now it was only his._

 _A soft crying caught her attention. She turned around the corner, ignoring the beginnings of a thunderstorm. A young saiyan girl was crying over the still form of a large saiyan male shaking him._

 _"Daddy," the girl was saying. "Daddy wake up... You're drunk again, daddy..." A son wracked her thin shoulders. A thunderclap sounded and the poor thing jumped, her hair coming unbound from her loose ponytail. "Daddy...! Daddy, help me, I'm scared!" She shook him again but he did not wake up._

 _Caulifla moved toward the girl, her eyes large and curious. "Hey you."_

 _The girl jumped into the air, turning around. Her onyx eyes were wide and scared. "P-please don't hurt me!"_

 _Caulifla resisted the urge to snort or smack her silly for crying over a stupid thunderstorm. "Relax kid. I'm not going to hurt you." She reached forward to touch her but the girl flinched and curled up against her father's side. Caulifla raised an eyebrow. "I told you I'm not going to hurt you."_

 _The only response she got was a whimper._

 _"Ugh, fine. Stay out here with your bastard of a father and see if I care."_

 _Five minutes later, a scream sounded. Caulifla was not even a block away and the girl was already in trouble. How pathetic._

 _Against her better judgement, Caulifla sighed and dashed back to where she had last left the girl. When she arrived however, to her utmost shock, there were now multiple bodies next to the girl's father. The young girl stood trembling in the midst of it all._

 _"Did you do all this?" asked Caulifla, her voice slightly muffled by the pouring rain._

 _"They killed my daddy!" roared the girl, a glow enveloping her. "They s-slit his throat..." She fell to her knees, her bravery gone. She was now crying even harder than before._

 _Cautiously, Caulifla approached the girl. When she just kept on crying, Caulifla snaked an arm around her tiny body and pulled her close. "Don't cry... It doesn't suit you... What's your name?"_

 _"K-Kale..."_

* * *

A snore told her that Goku was now asleep. She smiled into her pillow. _Goodnight._

* * *

"So... Freeza, eh?" mused Kafara. She tossed Frost's corpse to the side. "Interesting. A being more powerful than Frost ever was with the potential to rival even the gods in power. Excellent..."

* * *

Kafara was long gone when a dry husk resembling Frost was found in a dark alleyway.

* * *

 _ **A/N: I want to sleep. There will be some Lime and Cabba and Kale interaction next chapter. There was some Chi Chi-Goku argument. It may look like she's being totally unreasonable but her worst fears do eventually come true so upcut her some slack...?**_

 ** _And what the hell has Kafara done to Frost?_**


	11. Sweet and sour

_**A/N: I'm giving Caulifla and Goku a break with this chapter! This is all Kale, Cabba and Goten and corresponds with the events of the previous chapter.**_

* * *

"Hoyo!" Goten shouted as he hopped across the river, careful not the slip on the slick stepping stones. "Hoy! Hoyo!"

Cabba and Kale looked on at the sight, more amused than perplexed at the boy's behavior.

Goten stopped in his tracks and squatted down, brushing the rapids with the tips of his fingers. He laughed gleefully and splashed both of his hands into the water, sending a spray of aqua and rainbow flying up toward his new friends. They all shared a laugh at his antics. Kale and Cabba watched Goten carefully from the air as he bravely did handstands on the slippery rocks, sticking his tongue out while he was at it.

"Watch your step, Goten!" warned Cabba when Goten nearly tumbled headfirst into the river.

Kale floated leisurely alongside Cabba. As usual, she avoided conversation and lost herself in her own pondering instead. Tomorrow, she and Cabba would be joining Caulifla in training. They hoped to gain full control of their super saiyan forms, Cabba especially after he had unlocked a new transformation. Kale, on the other hand, could feel in her gut that there were no other transformations for her. Her super saiyan form was different from her friends' - it was stronger, more aggressive and completely uncontrollable. Whereas Cabba and Caulifla could summon their mastered transformations through sheer will alone, hers was triggered only by strong, negative emotions.

"Haha, too slow, Cabba!" Kale vaguely heard Goten say. It was as if she was underwater.

"Gah! Goten, don't do that! It's dangerous!"

Kale had already established to herself that she did not like Son Goku. It wasn't as if he had done anything to directly cross her. No, it was worse. He had taken Caulifla away from her. Without him barging into their lives, she would have never left her home and things would have reverted back to normal. She and Caulifla had stuck together since life had brought them their own personal tragedies. Why did Goku have to ruin everything by simply showing up? It frustrated her to no end but she would never confront Caulifla about it. A fight was the last thing Kale needed right now.

"Aha!" cheered Goten, pointing to a sign that said 'Welcome to Chazke Village', "We're here!" He ran off into the village excitedly. "Hurry up!"

Cabba landed and went after Goten, Kale doing the same. The little boy was like a supply of endless energy. His excitement was contagious - Kale and Cabba couldn't help but smile as they entered the village. It was a quaint little thing but full of life, just like the boy in front of them.

One of the villagers approached them. "Welcome back, Goten!" He ruffled the boy's hair. "How are the folks?"

"Great!" answered Goten.

"That's good to hear." He glanced at Goten's companions. "Now who are these folks? Friends of yours?"

"Yeah! They're my dad's friends!"

Kale frowned slightly at being referred to as Goku's friend but brushed it off.

The villager smiled at them and stretched his arm out. "Well hey there. The name's Pete. It's obvious you two aren't from around here so welcome to Chazke Village!"

"Thank you," Cabba said politely, shaking the man's hand. Kale nodded in agreement, shaking Pete's hand limply.

"We're here to see Lime and Mr Lao," interjected Goten. "They haven't gone anywhere, right Pete?"

"'Course not, Goten. Them Laos really love the place. Wouldn't trade it for the world." He put on his hat as the sun crept out from behind the clouds. "Then again, most of us here wouldn't anyway. Chazke Village really is a great place once you adjust. Thinking of stay here long term?" The last question was directed at Cabba and Kale.

"Probably not," Cabba answered truthfully. "We're here to support a friend who's training with Goku. It's a nice place though. We'll come to visit!"

"I'm glad to hear that. Now I won't delay you any longer. Have fun with the Laos!" As they walked away toward Mr Lao's grocery store, Pete added, "Don't be strangers!"

When they entered the store, a small bell attached to the top of the door frame jingled merrily, announcing their arrival to the shopkeepers. A brown haired girl, who was reading a magazine behind the counter, dropped the publication as soon as they walked in. Her eyes lit up in excitement when she saw Goten.

"Hi, Lime," greeted Goten, bowing politely. "How's it?"

"It's been good, little man," Lime answered. "How's Gohan doing?"

At that, Goten pouted. "He's been paying more attention to Videl and Pan than me. We never play together anymore."

"Gohan _is_ twenty two years old," Lime pointed out. "You can't expect him to hang out with you all the time, especially now since he has a family."

"I guess..."

"Aw, chin up, Goten! Why don't 'cha introduce me to your friends?" She gestured to Kale and Cabba but not in a rude manner.

"This is Kale, and this is Cabba!"

Once introductions were over and done with, they all sat down at the back of the store. Goten was busy raiding the fridge while Lime set down some tea for her guests.

"Say," Lime began, sipping her hot drink, the steam obscuring her face. "You two are foreigners, ain't ya?"

"Yes," Cabba answered evenly. "You could say we come from a pretty far away place." _Further than you could possibly imagine._

"We _are_ a long way from home," added Kale. "We're just visiting, you see."

"Oh. That's a shame," remarked Lime. "After all, all the other saiyans are living on earth."

"Yes, but -" Cabba froze when he realized what she had said. She knew of the saiyans! And she was comfortable enough with the idea of extraterrestrials living on earth to mention it in such a casual manner! Instantly, he put his guard up. "Who are you?" he demanded. "What do you know about us? Answer me!"

"C-Cabba!" exclaimed Kale. "C-calm down, please... I'm sure she'll tell us..." She glanced at Lime. "Right?"

Lime snorted, putting down her cup. "You lack any sort of tact," she told Cabba bluntly. "I'm surprised no one's told you already about me." She paused, then corrected herself. "Actually, scratch that, I'm not. I was only ever friends with Gohan and Goten after all. After he married Videl, it's like no one remembers me." Cabba's impatient look was noted by the brunette. "To answer your questions, I've known about the existence aliens since I was ten years old. Y'see, Gohan saved me from drowning and we became friends. He eventually trusted me enough to open up to me about his past and heritage. I'm surprised though. I didn't realize there were so many saiyans left."

 _She doesn't know of the existence of other universes,_ Cabba realized, relaxing slightly. _The only saiyans she's ever met are the Universe 7 ones like Goku and Master Vegeta._

"I'm surprised you're taking it so well," Kale said sotto voce when Cabba didn't reply. "Most people would run... or hide... or both..."

Lime waved off her remark. "I've had years to wrap my head around it. It's not so strange once you think about it. The universe is a big place after all."

At that moment, Goten chose to return with unreasonable amounts of food. He dumped it all on the table and began shoving a string of sausages into his mouth. He swallowed. "Want some?" he offered around the table.

* * *

After lunch had been taken care of, Lime invited Cabba to sit out on the porch with her while Kale and Goten became more acquainted with Mr Lao. She knocked off the neck of a bottle of peach schnapps and started drinking straight from the bottle. She wiped the corners of her mouth with her sleeve after taking a swig. The girl smiled slyly at Cabba. "So..."

Cabba started sweating. Why was he getting that 'Yumi Megumi' feeling again? Was Lime Lao going to try and violate him like that little girl had done? He stared at her, hoping he wasn't looking too petrified. "Uhh..." _Real smooth. Like that's going to make her leave me alone!_

"How long have you liked her for?"

 _Huh?_ The question was not at all what he was expecting. When he realized he was simply gaping at her like a fish out of water, he closed his mouth and cleared his throat. "What are you talking about?"

She took another swig. "That girl companion of yours." Lime rubbed her temples. "What's her name again? Gale?" She burped in the most unladylike way possible. "Sorry, I didn't really pay attention to her... Shy one, ain't she?"

"Her name is Kale," Cabba said, feeling miffed on behalf of his fellow saiyan. "And of course I like her. She's my friend."

Lime hummed into the bottle. "Right, right... You sure you don't like her as more than that?"

Cabba turned away from her but the question circled in his mind. _Do I like her as more than a friend?_ What were those symptoms that his baby sister used gush about? Ah yes, racing heart, fluctuating temperature, blushing cheeks... tightening in the lower regions... Had he been experiencing those with Kale? A small frown appeared on his forehead as he contemplated his feelings, Lime watching him with amusement. His eyes widened as he came to a conclusion, Lime snickering at his facial expression. The only thing in his mental checklist that he hadn't felt around her yet was the so-called 'tightening in the lower regions'. Though some would call him ridiculously naive for his age, Cabba was no stranger to sex, the Sadala Defence Forces having educated them on the birds and the bees and issuing the order to ban fraternizing. Kale was quite physically attractive and Cabba knew he would have no trouble getting... aroused over her if the means called for it.

"Helloooo?" Lime waved a hand in front of his face. She had finished downing the entire bottle and was now moving on to a powerful vodka. She hiccuped. "Anyone theereee?"

"I think I do," Cabba said quietly. "Lime... I think I love her." There. He had said it. He loved Kale. He would always be willing to protect her and cherish her - surely love did not extend to more than that? As he thought about it more, he felt his heart leap with the sudden desire to ravish her with kisses and hug her tightly.

"Whooaaaaa!" Lime exclaimed, gesticulating in a manner that splashed alcohol all over the patio. "Slow down loverboy! Just 'cause you reaaalllyyy like her doesn't mean you lurrvee her." Her speech were growing increasingly slurred as she finished every single drop of vodka.

"But I do," Cabba protested. "Lime, I love her. I didn't know before, but I do now. It's... a new feeling that wasn't there before."

Lime shook her head, hiccuping. "Surreee... whatever you say. Just screw her before another guy does." She laughed harshly at Cabba's shocked and flushing visage. "That's the guy mentality right?! Just fuck her senseless and leave her bloody and cummy in the barnyard!" She howled again; this time the sound was somehow piercing and throaty at the same time. Lime pulled something out of her pocket. "Want a smoke?"

Cabba shook his head. He had to admit, this girl was filled to the brim with filthy, bad habits. Lime blew out smoke from her nose and mouth before continuing. "Let me give you some advice," she drunkenly hiccuped in between, "there's this little nub at the top of her fish. Stroke it, lick it, suck it, whatever! She'll go absolutely loose for ya. It's less painful for her too after an orgasm. Don't just rut her! That's not how you get a girl off..." A few tears welled up in her emerald eyes and she moaned sadly. "Ugh... don't let Goten see me like this... he's not coming out right?"

"No," answered Cabba. "Why are you doing this to yourself? Nicotine and alcohol are a deadly combination," he told her, reminded of Vados' lectures.

Lime chuckled hollowly. "Maybe that's just it. Haven't you ever felt so low that the only thing you can do is try to slowly kill yourself?" At his blank expression, she cackled. "I envy you, then. Because that's all I've ever known for a really long time." She managed to blow out a smoke ring. "You'd better tell her soon before it's too late. Trust me on this, buddy. Tell her... before it's too late."

* * *

Goten had gone back to the river with the promise of some fish. Mr Lao had told him that there wouldn't be any fish in the rapids, but Goten had replied saying that he relished in the challenge, leaving Kale with Mr Lao.

The old man sighed. "That boy. Is it because I am getting old that this generation keeps getting more and more foolish?"

"Kids will be kids," mumbled Kale.

"Not just kids," said Mr Lao. "My granddaughter... I don't know what happened to her. She would never open up to me. She became..." He struggled to find a word. "Not so good. Do you know what I mean?"

Instantly, visions of Caulifla bringing a male home every single night for two years flashed in her mind. "All too well," she admitted, looking down. It had taken one attempt for her to convince her sis to stop being so promiscuous. One attempt that had taken two years to summon the courage to do. Sometimes she wished she wasn't such a coward.

"Smoking, drinking." He clicked his tongue before burying his head in his hands. "She doesn't even try to hide it in front of me. I normally find her passed out somewhere in the house. I don't know what to do for that silly girl anymore..."

"O-oh..."

"But enough about Lime. I do not want to speak of her right now." He poured himself and Kale some more tea. "Let's talk about you."

"H-huh? Me?"

"Yes, you. I've seen the way you look at that boy."

Kale blushed and focused on her tea.

"Kale. Look at me."

Unable to resist a direct command from anyone, Kale did as she was told, looking deep into Mr Lao's wizened orbs. "Y-yes?"

"You already know that you are very much in love with him," Mr Lao said. "And from what I've observed, I think he feels the same way, even if he doesn't realize it." He shook his head. "Sometimes men are so incredibly dense. I'm very curious, Kale, how did you come to love him?"

So Kale told the old man about how Cabba had fought alongside her on multiple occasions and even saved her. She owed him so much and, somewhere along the way, had fallen in love with him. Mr Lao nodded or drank his tea at all the right intervals, successfully encouraging Kale to totally open up about Cabba. Of course, she neglected to mention the Universal Survival Tournament and instead passed off their partnerships in fighting as associates from the same fighting league.

"You've had quite an adventure with this boy," Mr Lao said at the end of her story, his eyes wide. "I can see why you love him now. It is pure and true. But," he eyed room suspiciously for any eavesdroppers, "I would wait for him to come to his senses first. Something tells me that it will be soon."

* * *

It was night when all the talks had finished. Goten had returned empty-handed from the river. Lime invited them to stay over for the night and they gladly accepted. The group ate dinner together, enjoying a large assortment of seafood for supper.

"How's the food, Goten?" Lime asked, now sober. "You enjoying it? I cooked it all myself, you know."

"I love it," Goten said through a mouthful of lobster. He swallowed before continuing. "It's good but not as good as mom's. Sorry!" he squeaked when Lime shot him a glare. The glare quickly melted into a grin and everyone laughed.

By the time dinner was finished and _all_ the dishes were scrubbed clean, it was already midnight and everyone was preparing their futons. Kale and Cabba had their futons aligned with one another but were both strewn in a position that had their backs facing each other. Both were contemplating the words of Lime and Mr Lao.

 _I love her,_ Cabba repeated in his head as if not saying it would mean that he no longer held any affection for Kale. _I love her. I love her. But I'm not telling her... not yet anyway. Lime said that it might not even be love._

 _Mr Lao said it was love,_ Kale was telling herself. _Is he right? ... I feel like he is. I've never felt this kind of love before._ The only love she had ever felt was the sisterly affection Caulifla had for her. Her mother had died at a young age and her father had been slaughtered like a pig while drunk and unconscious. And now, suddenly, a new sort of love had entered her life. It was nothing like Caulifla's love or her mother's love. It was different. More fulfilling if such a thing was possible. And she felt it with Cabba, someone she knew and trusted despite he having made her cry on their first meeting. Surely this was better than falling in love with a total stranger?

"Goodnight, Kale," Cabba said, his voice breaking the silence as well as Kale's train of thought.

"Goodnight," Kale murmured back.

* * *

 _ **A/N: Lime. No not that kind of lime. Lime Lao. Despite her relatively complex characterization in this fic, she won't be developed. She's only here as a supporting character.**_

 ** _Kale and Cabba have finally acknowledged the affections they have for one another (though they don't know that the other feels the same way)!_**

 ** _Just a side note: I spend about 1-2 hours writing a chapter. I don't know why I decided to share this. But eh._**

 ** _Hope you enjoyed this chapter~_**


	12. Twilight

_**A/N: This is a warning. We're about to enter into M territory. The rating is now M. A reviewer gave me insight on how this is probably a better idea.**_ _ **There is a lemon in this chapter. There will be L at the beginning and L at the end to signify when the lemon starts and stops. If you read the authors note of my earlier chapters, you would know that this is my first time writing a lemon. So, yeah. Please don't expect too much.**_

* * *

Caulifla yawned and snuggled deeper into something warm, her arms wrapped around said thing. Whatever she was cuddling radiating pure warmth, making her sleepy. She mumbled something in her sleep before snoring softly.

Goku was starting to wake up when the sunlight flitted through the window, catching his eyes. He groaned groggily, ready to wake up and start the day. He hadn't had such a good sleep for a long time. Maybe Grandpa Gohan had had the right idea - futons really were more comfortable than beds. He had hardly moved when he felt Caulifla's arms locked in a vice grip around his waist.

"Cauli?" Goku mumbled into the head pillow. "Cauli... wake up. We have training today..."

His only response was a tired moan as Caulifla hooked his legs around his thighs. "Five minutes..."

"Cauli," Goku said gently, prodding her shoulder. "Time to get up. Don't make me make _you_ deliver milk around the whole area again." When she didn't wake, he was driven to whining, "Cauli...! Wake up~"

"What?!" snapped Caulifla, her eyes snapping open. She moved, her hips gyrating against his as she tried to turn around. "What do you want now?!" She kept her temper flared, ignoring the _very_ lovely feeling she had felt when she had shifted against him.

"Training," Goku reminded her, also ignoring the brewing tension in his lower body. "Come on Cauli! Or I'll start breakfast without you."

She was up in a flash and the two wrestled their way to the shower.

"Get off!"

" _You_ get off!"

"Goku, I'm serious."

"Well so am I."

Caulifla huffed and slipped between his legs, smirking as she did so. "Heh."

"That's cheating," accused Goku. "I demand a rematch!"

Caulifla stuck her tongue out at him before slamming the bathroom door in his face.

"Dammit!"

* * *

After another two shouting matches later, including one which involved Goku busting down the door while Caulifla was in the shower because he urgently needed to relieve himself (Caulifla had thrown a bar of soap at him), the pair found themselves in the plain little kitchen.

"I'm out of food," Caulifla told Goku bluntly, standing aside with her arms akimbo and revealing a bare and barren cupboard. "I had to feed _three_ other saiyans yesterday since your son came over. Looks like we're gonna have to go without." She grimaced at the idea.

 _Looks like we're gonna have to do this the old fashioned way,_ thought Goku. "Let's go fishing," he said aloud. "I know a great place with plenty of fish."

"Fishing?" Caulifla echoed, her eyes lighting up. "Huh. I never even considered that. I'm game if you are."

The two headed down to a nearby lake, the one Goku always used to fish at when he was still a child. He would used to dive from a high standpoint on an overhand that towered over the water body. Goku started undoing his gi. "Boy, I haven't been fishing in ages! This is gonna be great!"

Unbeknownst to him, Caulifla was also removing her gi, leaving her completely nude, save for an old singlet and undershorts that had come with the gi. The sun kissed her skin as she stretched in front of the lake. She dipped one of her feet in the water, shivering at the icy cold touch that was nipping at her toes.

"Okay," Goku began, now clad in only a pair of boxers. He turned to face her and forced himself to look at her face instead of her attractive physique _._ "Race you to the top!" Anything to get away from her enticing curves and shapely legs.

"Hey, wha-?!"

Goku was already off, running up the side of overhang. Caulifla growled and sprinted after him, the shingle stinging the balls of her feet as she ran. A gentle breeze streamlined against her toned body, caressing her integument with a cooling chill. By the time she caught up with him, he was already at the top of the hillside.

"Slowpoke," Goku mocked.

"Cheater," Caulifla retorted. "You had a headstart!"

"I slowed down for you. You could have easily caught up."

"Pfft, liar."

The two bickered and bantered. It took a turn when they started grappling each other in an attempt to try and push each other off the overhang. They teetered dangerously at the edge, stones and pebbles crumbling and falling into the water below as their feet shuffled.

"I'm going to win," Caulifla promised as she forced Goku near the side, a wicked, almost feral gleam in her eyes. She pushed her body closer to his to try and drive him over. "Hah!"

Goku went toppling over. But before he could completely fall, he grabbed Caulifla's arm, pulling her off balance and bringing her down with him. She hollered in surprise as they fell through the air, landing into the lake with a gigantic splash.

"Fuck!" she screamed as her head broke the surface of the water. When Goku resurfaced as well, she threw a rock she had grabbed from the bottom of the lake at his head, making him wince in pain.

"Oww! What was that for?"

Caulifla snickered. "What do you think?"

Goku mock glared at her, crossing his arms. "Not funny."

"What _wasn't_ funny was when you dragged me down with you. But that? That was hilarious."

Goku huffed and splashed a huge wave of water at her, drenching her all over again. She spluttered as the water dripped between her eyes and pooled at her chin. Her eye twitched angrily when she saw Goku laughing at her and swimming away.

"You've sealed your fate, fool," she yelled after him, moving swiftly through the water. "Get back here!"

Needless to say, more fooling around than fishing was done. In the end, they declared a reluctant truce and managed to catch a meal fit for a few saiyan kings. Caulifla had just finished drying off and was putting her gi back on and Goku was starting a fire when Kale and Cabba broke through the forest foliage.

The Universe 6 saiyan trio greeted each other happily. As it turned out, Cabba, Kale and Goten had all stayed the night at Chazke Village with Lime and Mr Lao. In the morning, Goten had gone back home to meet Chi Chi's strict studying regime while Cabba and Kale tracked Goku and Caulifla down for training.

"This fish is so good!" exclaimed Cabba, biting into said fish at a rapid, inhuman pace.

Kale nodded eagerly in agreement, choosing to focus more on their meal than Goku, who was sitting opposite her.

"Chi Chi made me learn how to cook things 'just right'," Goku told them. "She wouldn't let go of it until I agreed." He frowned slightly as he said this.

"Why do you listen to her?" demanded Caulifla. "You're stronger. Tell her to fuck off and deal with it. It's not like domestic talent will get you any further anyway.

"I would never tell Chi Chi that," Goku said firmly. "I don't know about you, Caulifla, but here on earth, we respect our partners."

At first she thought she would be happy he finally addressed her by her full name (even if he had done so on other occasions). But then something else took over her. Him not calling her 'Cauli' simply rubbed her the wrong way. "Oh?" Caulifla said coolly. "Even when it's clear she doesn't respect you?"

The rest of breakfast was eaten in tense silence.

* * *

To say the least, Caulifla could be infuriating at times. After their meal had been devoured, Goku had gone off to be alone under the pretence of going for a quick walk. Well he wasn't exactly lying. He _was_ enjoying the walk thus far.

It was clear as day that Caulifla held little or no respect for Chi Chi. A bigger part of him rose to defend her honor. She was his wife. It was his duty to do so. But a small slice of his conscience had to agree with her. A very, very small part. He loved Chi Chi, but the woman could be even more infuriating than Caulifla at times. Caulifla was driven by a lust for power and was naturally assertive (sometimes to the point of arrogance), but other than that, she was a relatively chill person. On the other hand, Chi Chi, was screechy, overbearing and high maintenance. Even Goku had to admit that as much as he loved her. He would have to be blind not to see it.

And then there was the other issue... Chi Chi's abstinence. Goku wasn't a person who valued sex above anything else in a relationship but over the past few days, the pressure from the Universal Survival Tournament as well as other things had been building up inside him like a pressure cooker. He normally relied on Chi Chi to take care of these kinds of problems but without her, he knew he was going to crack. Whether it would be pretty or not, Goku didn't know - though he would lean toward the latter.

He only hoped that Chi Chi could handle his pent up frustration when she was ready again. The first time they had consummated their love - the night of their marriage - Chi Chi had complained about him being too rough with her. Though many would consider her a fierce, tough tiger woman, she was really one who needed lots of care and attention when it came to a lot of things - sex included.

Goku sighed, having walked through the entire vicinity and now heading back to where he had left his saiyan disciples, two new and one old.

"Enjoy your walk?" Caulifla asked stiffly.

"It was fine," Goku said, his voice equally steely.

"Then let's get started."

They all flew to the Gizard Wasteland under Goku's directions. It was the place where Caulifla and Goku had their first rematch and the rocky desert biome was similar to where the two female saiyans had first transformed under the shaky guidance of Cabba.

The saiyans' abilities and limitations were discussed. Cabba told Goku of how both he and Kale had transformed under situations of great duress. While Cabba could successfully control his first super saiyan form, Kale was an entirely different story. She had only ever transformed two times - once back on Sadala and then again during the Tournament of Power. She could not will her transformation like Cabba or Caulifla. The latter tried describing the tingling feeling she always felt at he back when she transformed to Kale but the younger ssaiyan remained unable to grasp the concept.

"Caulifla," Goku said. "I'll be be back soon. I want to take Cabba somewhere. Keep helping Kale."

"Fine. May I ask where you're taking him?"

"Somewhere where he can receive better training," Goku replied vaguely.

Caulifla stared at him for an extra beat before turning to Kale, vigorously attempting to encourage and even goad the girl into transforming.

* * *

"What a big place," Cabba remarked, awed at the sight of the looming Capsule Corporation dome.

"Not just that," Goku told him. "Have you noticed a familiar chi around?"

Cabba paused for a second, observing the perimeter with his Chi senses. His eyes widened in realization. "This is Master Vegeta's home!"

"Yep," affirmed Goku. "I figured Vegeta would be able to train you better than me. He just... drills it into you. While his methods may seem harsh, they'll benefit you more than my training."

"Right!" Cabba looked up at Goku, his eyes shining with newfound admiration. "Thank you, Goku! It takes a strong person to admit things like this! I for one, know that Master Vegeta would never admit such things." He began to salute Goku but the taller male waved him off.

"Don't worry about it. And don't be so formal." He took off into the air. "Things are more laid back around here. Welcome to Earth, Cabba!"

Meanwhile, back at the Gizard Wasteland, Caulifla had long given up into trying to get Kale to transform using intimidation tactics. The poor girl didn't need any unnecessary stress on her frail shoulders.

Caulifla was about to call it a day with Kale and talk to her instead when, surprisingly, she spoke up first, "I... I came close to turning super saiyan a couple of times..."

"Really?!" exclaimed Caulifla, her eyes glowing with excitement. "Tell me all about it!"

So Kale did. She told Caulifla of how she had felt power surge through her when Cabba was comforting her after Joe's assault, telling Caulifla how weak she had felt at that moment. Then there was the other time - when she and Cabba had double teamed against Val, she had felt empowered by his presence.

"All this seems to revolve around Cabba," Caulifla muttered thoughtfully. "I wonder... Say, Kale, are you romantically interested in Cabba by any chance?"

Kale's eyes widened slightly and her face flushed redder than her shirt. "I-I don't know what you're talking about, sis..."

"Aw, don't lie to me," Caulifla scolded gently, throwing her arm around Kale's thin shoulders and bringing her protégée closer to her. "It's pretty obvious. You and Cabba can be so dense at times."

Kale felt tears sting the back of her eyes. "I'm s-sorry sis, I'll do better next time...!"

Caulifla pinched the bridge of her nose in exasperation. "That wasn't supposed to be an insult, Kale. Honestly, I think it's kinda cute how you and Cabba keep walking on eggshells around each other. Promise me you'll stay like this Kale. Your innocence... it's like a beacon in the dark." She sighed wistfully. "If I ever lose my way I'll always find my way back to you, somehow. You're probably the only one who could put up with me at this stage. Even Goku's avoiding me."

Inwardly, Kale rejoiced at her sis being at odds with Goku. "That's alright... I won't leave you. I promise."

"Don't say that!" Caulifla said harshly. "I've had enough broken promises for a lifetime."

"O-oh, right! S-sorry... I'm just -"

Caulifla tutted. "No more tears, Kale. I've told you time and time again that they don't suit you. Try and listen to be on this one. You'll mess up that pretty face of yours and Cabba won't love you anymore. I'm kidding," she added hastily when she saw Kale's expression crumble even further. "Just ignore me."

* * *

Goku was harsh on Caulifla with training that afternoon and now, with twilight gathering, Caulifla had sent Kale home to rest. The poor girl had been worked to the bone between Goku and Caulifla and deserved a hot meal and a good sleep.

Surprisingly, Caulifla wasn't hungry despite a whole day of fighting. She and Goku had gone to blows again for a demonstration of power to Kale. It had gotten out of hand and the entire Gizard Wasteland had nearly been levelled by the sheer force of their power. Instead of heading back to their temporary home with Kale, she opted to hit up a hot spring that she had passed while flying around. It looked absolutely delectable and Caulifla relished in the thought of soothing her sore muscles with the warm, bubbling water.

Once she arrived, she removed all her clothing, including her undergarments. She contemplated folding her clothes and putting them into a neat stack at first but then scoffed at the idea and instead tossed them into a heap on the ground. Caulifla sighed as she slipped into the therapeutic aqua, said aqua making her nice and hot, a nice contrast against the chilly evening.

As she relaxed in the hot spring, Caulifla daydreamed, imagining the overflowing power within her when she reached super saiyan blue for the first time. She had long since realized that Goku was in an entire league above her once she had figured out that he carried divine chi in that form. It had enough power to rival the gods - the kind of power that Caulifla herself strived for.

Another thought entered her mind: how could a literal god let a human harpy boss him around? She was utterly inferior to him in every way and yet he allowed her to walk all over him. What kind of witchcraft was this? Chi Chi was a complete and utter bitch yet Goku still claimed to love her. Caulifla sank further into the pool until the water reached her chin. _Why? If I were him I would have left her long ago. And it's pretty obvious he's sexually starved._ She could tell that much by the pheromones he had released yesterday. It was a scent almost sickly sweet and she found herself craving for it once more. It was obvious to her that the pot was calling the kettle black here - after all, how long had it been since her last lay?

While female saiyans were naturally not as sexually active as their masculine counterparts, most still copulated at least once every week. It was healthy. It was normal. But what she was doing to herself? Not normal. Of course, she still had her fingers but masturbation was simply wasn't as pleasant or as fulfilling as the real thing. Even if she managed to get herself off, it would just leave her feeling even more sexually frustrated.

Being an unmated female, Caulifla had plenty of suitors come to her every year. Thanks to Kale's pleading, she always turned most, if not all of them down. For the longest time, she had sustained herself on the emotional bond she shared with Kale. And for the longest time, she had been satisfied by just that. But now... She groaned. She was really starting to feel the heat of the consequences. Kale, though sexually mature, had entered adulthood only a few years ago and was able to keep a leash on her own drive without any ramifications.

Caulifla was nearly done when she felt another person close in on her. She stood up in the shallow pool, not caring if they saw her nude. She narrowed her eyes. "Who goes there?"

"Cauli?" came Goku's surprised voice. He didn't seem to register her nudity. "What are you doing here?"

Slowly, Caulifla slipped back into the hot spring, blanketing herself with the warm waters. "I could ask you the same thing."

Goku, clad in only boxers like he had been at the lake, joined her in the pool, staring intently at her. "I thought about what you said."

"And? Are we on speaking terms again?"

"We were never _not_ on speaking terms in the first place," he pointed out. "But I want to talk to you about Chi Chi."

Caulifla was about to flip him off before thinking better of it. She was curious to what he was going to say to her, especially since he had apparently considered her words. "Go on," she prompted.

"You're wrong," Goku said plainly. "Chi Chi does respect me, even if she can be... overbearing at times."

 _If by overbearing you mean being a total bitch then yeah, I agree._ "She sure doesn't show it from what I've seen," she commented offhandedly.

"Look... it's complicated. She's a woman of tall order and a perfectionist. She just wants things to be done right."

"Are you trying to convince me or yourself?"

Goku sighed in frustration. "Why did I even bother? You're never going to understand unless you really know her."

"Oh yeah?" Caulifla challenged. "Then let me tell you what I do know. Why hasn't she been taking care of you properly. I could smell your frustration yesterday. It was... powerful. But not exactly unpleasant either. To put it bluntly, why haven't you been fucking?"

"... I don't know," Goku admitted, a frown forming on his face. He wasn't going to tell her the truth - about how Chi Chi was using it against him to stop him from seeing Caulifla.

"It's her duty as your mate to satisfy you and vice versa regardless of whether she is a saiyan or not," Caulifla states with a slight accusing tone.

Goku scowled at her. "You think I'm asking her to do this? I don't even know what to do at this point since she obviously doesn't want to have sex with me!"

"You need help from an outside party," Caulifla said slowly. "Doesn't earth have any whorehouses?"

"I'm not about to go to a whorehouse just for a fuck," Goku told her with a steely gaze. "I'm not that desperate." _Not yet anyway._

"Any female friends?"

"God no." Goku shuddered at the thought of sleeping with Bulma, who was like a big sister to him. Not to mention Vegeta would find a way to murder him if he did. And he certainly wasn't about to go to Android 18 for sex. That would just be awkward at the very least.

There was a tense silence.

"Then let me help you." _What?! What the hell am I thinking? Though it pains me to know that I need this as much as he does..._

"Eh?! You?"

Caulifla stared flatly at him. "Yes me. I haven't had a good lay in a long time. It would just be sex to help each other get off. Think of it as training except it's a two way street."

"Cauli. Chi Chi would never forgive me if she found out." _Her offer seems... surprisingly reasonable._ He could feel himself getting aroused. _But how can I possibly do this to Chi Chi? I love her... don't I? But then again, it's just sex. If Chi Chi won't provide..._

"She doesn't have to find out." To their shock, it was Goku who spoke those words. Caulifla had been about to say the same thing when he had beat her to it.

She blinked in surprise. _Did he just agree to my proposal?_ Heat started pooling at her belly as she smelled the pheromones he gave off. She smirked at him, moving forward to wrap her arms around his neck and touch her forehead to his. The gesture was oddly intimate for 'just sex' but they thought nothing of it.

"Should we start now?" she asked him softly.

A fire she had never seen before flared in his eyes, arousing her even further. "Do you really have to ask?" His voice was strained as if he was barely controlling himself.

Her lips met his and it spiralled from there.

 **L**

His tongue entered her mouth and she moaned slightly, the throbbing between her legs becoming nigh unbearable.

"Cauli," she heard him say into her mouth. "Don't expect any foreplay. I'm getting straight to the point."

She hummed in response, nipping lightly on his tongue. "I can't wait either... Not this time anyway..." Caulifla moved her hand downward and stroked the bulge beneath his boxers. _Shit, he's definitely ready._

With a low growl, he picked her up with ease and set her on the grass so that she was lying on her back. There she was in all her glory, her toned, lithe muscular body glistening in the moonlight. Her nipples were pink stiff from the cold air, making her look even more delectable. _On second thoughts..._ He smirked down at her before climbing on top of her.

She moaned at the feel of him beneath the thin material of his undershorts. Roughly, he pried her legs apart, and the scent of her growing arousal filled his head. He could have caved so easily at that moment but he leashed himself, wanting to pace himself.

"What are you doing?" demanded Caulifla, craning her neck slightly. "I thought you said no foreplay -" She cut herself off as she felt his wicked mouth place chaste kisses on her womanhood. One that landed directly above her pearl made her shiver in delight. _H-how is he so good at this? Chi Chi gave_ this _up?_ She had to bite her lip to stop herself from moaning as his skilled tongue rolled over her emerging clit.

Goku noticed her strained expression and couldn't help but smirk between her legs. Oh he was going to enjoy this. Without warning, he slipped two fingers inside her, finding her impossibly tight. She wasn't kidding when she said she needed this. It was become increasingly obvious that she hadn't had a lover in a very long time. Her tightness and submissiveness in bed (or in this case, the grass), gave it all away. And yet something told him that she wasn't like Chi Chi, who demanded gentleness.

As soon as his fingers entered her folds, she moaned loudly, flushing in embarrassment. The combination of his moving fingers and his tongue sought to undo her. _Not yet... I can't cum yet..._ She nearly sighed in relief when he ceased his teasing but that relief was quickly replaced by disappointment.

Caulifla looked up again, trying to see what was keeping him from finishing her off. _Oh._ Shit. He was bigger than she had anticipated. But she relished in the challenge. It was like another fight, except this time there was no clear cut winner.

Goku tossed his boxer's aside in a flippant gesture, the garment flapping slightly in the breeze before drifting softly to the ground.

"In," Caulifla snarled. " _Now."_

He didn't wait any longer. In one single thrust he filled her, making her curse as she felt herself stretch to accommodate his girth. He started moving almost instantly, and Caulifla was glad that he skipped the cliche words of concern. She was a saiyan female; she wasn't as breakable as a human and didn't need to be treated like one. When he hit her inner walls at a certain angle, she cried out uncharacteristically, feeling a wave of euphoria wash over her.

A primal sound escaped Goku as he pounded her, pure unrestrained lust in his growl. This was what being with a saiyan woman was like. It wasn't as intimate as it would be with Chi Chi, but somehow that made it better - more passionate, more fulfilling.

Caulifla was reduced to soft panting as she felt the tension in her lower torso grow unbearable. She was close and by the looks of it, her partner was too. It wasn't surprising - after all her walls were clenching around his member with a vice grip. She lifted her head slightly to glare at Goku, who glared back. It would all come down to who came first now. Suddenly, their lovemaking at been turned into a competition with neither of them willing to give in so easily.

In one swift movement, Goku removed himself from her, making her stare at him in disbelief. Caulifla was about to start cursing at him when he plunged back inside her, at the same time turning super saiyan. She shouted in surprise as he buried himself inside her to the hilt, making her climax. As soon as her walls contracted tightly around him from her orgasm, he followed her down the edge, filling her with thick, hot ropes of cum.

 **L**

"I win!" declared Goku, standing up and grabbing his undershorts from the floor. "You came first, Cauli."

"Are you brain dead?!" snapped Caulifla, getting up from her place on the grass. "It was you who came first."

"No."

"Yes."

"No!"

"Yes!"

Goku growled into her ear and pinned her against the rock, sending a fresh wave of arousal washing over them. "Admit it. You came first."

His voice sent a shudder down her spine - it was the voice of a dominant saiyan male. She purred into his mouth as she kissed him. "We can make this the deciding round."

* * *

Niifa was very proud of her job. She was a member of Frost's great empire - or should she say _Kafara's._ As Head Technician, Niifa had a lot of responsibilities, including the making of a project that would allow inter-universal travel by using the technicalities of a hyperspace jump as a foundation. That project was currently Niifa's top priority, and she and her elite team of engineers worked on it for hours every day. Kafara would always pop up in the evening without fail and give them a fanged grin of approval when she saw them working vigorously.

Niifa shuddered as she thought of Kafara's smile. It was simply creepy and unnatural. Even though Niifa had great respect for her new leader, she had to admit that the woman was _scary as hell._

It was often questioned what kind of creature Kafara was. No one knew but most described her as an 'extraterrestrial vampire'. Whatever power she used to become top dog was also unknown, other than the fact that she obviously consumed the blood of the living.

Kafara was definitely not someone Niifa dared cross. She was Head Technician and nothing more. And as Head Technician she had a responsibility to _herself_ to stay on the good side of dangerous people.

She shuddered again before ordering her assistant to hand her a monkey wrench. _I don't think many realize how dangerous she truly is._

* * *

 _ **A/N: It's already happened. The first time. But it won't be a while until they actually fall in love with each other. Another lemon won't happen too soon - this was 'supposed' to be a one time thing between them (but we all know they'll keep coming back for more).**_

 _ **The actual main plot of this 'arc' is going to begin soon.**_

 _ **And wow! We've hit 5000 words in this chapter. That's gotta be a new record for me.**_

 _ **Yes I know I didn't update yesterday. But I hope this chapter was worth the wait.**_


	13. Looming

To say he was furious was an understatement.

Freeza was _beyond_ furious. He clenched his teeth in anger, his face a perpetual snarl as he spun around in his cocoon, surrounding by sickeningly bright and friendly fairies.

 _Of course the monkey didn't keep his promise,_ he thought bitterly. _What else could I have expected from a saiyan? But mark my words, Son Goku. I may be dead but my revenge against you and the universe is inevitable._

One of the fairies flew up to his cocoon. "Aww! Why the down face?"

Freeza's eye twitched as he imagined twenty brutal ways of torture for his happy perpetrator. "GET AWAY FROM ME!"

Another fairy tutted. "Uh oh! Look's like someone's unhappy."

Freeza screamed from his pupa, the sound screeching and torturous. Once he had gotten that out of his system, his (superficial) heartbeat returned to normal. Instead of paying attention to the singing and dancing stuffed animals parading at the bottom of his tree, he occupied himself by forming revenge plans. All of them seemed good but there was always one complication... he was dead as a doorknob and would remain that way unless an outside party intervened. Which obviously wasn't going to happen since the entire universe hated him. Of course there were the small remainders of his crew that had survived when he and Sorbet hadn't. But what could they possibly do?

So Freeza indulged himself in dark thoughts of death and destruction, all the while being surrounded by a beautiful meadow inhabited by cute, fluffy animals and giggling fairies. No prison would hold him forever, not even death. He had all the time in the world; someday he would escape hell and return back to the living realm. And when that happened, no one was going to escape unscathed.

* * *

"Niifa!" her assistant Moblit* called from the hallway outside the lab. "Are you coming? It's been a long day at work and we're going to get some drinks!"

"Not tonight, guys," the Head Technician replied, brushing her hands over some schematics in a vain attempt to smooth out the wrinkles. "But don't let me stop you. Go on out and have fun."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive." She sighed and rubbed her temples. "Kafara's a patient person but we all know that she's a megalomaniac with a shit ton of power at her hands. If I don't get this done soon then it'll be my head hanging up on her throne room."

Moblit went up to her, putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder. He towered over her at six foot but Niifa didn't mind it. In some way, it was oddly endearing. Moblit wasn't the cutest face on Kafara's Fleet but he was truly a gentle giant at heart. "Don't worry about it too much, Niifa. You'll find a way. You always do." He ruffled her blonde hair, making her face glow with delight.

Niifa smoothed down her angelic curls, her ears perking. "Well... I guess I could always go for that drink. But it's on you, 'kay?" _Who says flattery doesn't get you anywhere?_

Moblit pumped his fist. "Yes! Attagirl, Niifa!" He directed his voice to the lab door. "Hey guys! Niifa's joining us after all!"

A tide of voices sounded.

"Wow, really?!"

"Nice going, Moblit!"

"She really needs to get out of the lab more. Can't be that healthy working in there all day."

"How do you do it Moblit?"

"Moblit, you legend!"

So the elite tech squad wandered down the winding corridors of Kafara's ship, not at all lost by the seemingly endless maze. They were docked on Planet Virkulian, a place where Kafara had some 'unfinished business' as she claimed. The gigantic ship, suspended in the air and roped to the surface of celestial body with klangite, nearly loomed over half of the planet, casting a dark shadow overhead city center.

"Requesting access," Niifa said to the computer as they stopped at the closed entrance.

"Recognized: Head Technician Niifa. Access granted," chirped the computer. "Have a nice night!" The doors opened for them, exposing them to the cool air outside. Thankfully, it wasn't raining. The last time it had rained, Niifa had been outside, unaware that the rain was dangerously acidic. By the time she had returned to the ship, she had had multiple chemical burns that had required a full hour in the regeneration tank to heal.

"So good," sighed Yvonne, the 'rookie' of the team, as they floated down to the ground. "Screw the project. We really need to get out more."

"Don't let Kafara let you say that," warned Benzert, his bushy unibrow moving downward in a frown. He lowered his voice. "She's got ears everywhere."

At that moment, one of them farted. They all burst out into laughter.

"Yikes! Hope Our Lady didn't hear that!" Yvonne joked.

"Gosh, who was that?" asked Niifa, pinching her pink nose. "Peeyeww!"

"My bad," Muto, an octopus-like creature said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head with one tentacle. His beak turned upward in a small smile. "I put too much soy sauce on my lidroach roast today."

"No shit!" exclaimed Moblit. "It smells like you dumped a whole bottle of it in your food."

Benzert watched on, his eyes twinkling with amusement. He was always one who preferred to stay silent, even when his friends burst into raucous laughter. The howling didn't stop even when they reached the local tavern, though the volume had significantly lowered.

Moblit suavely ordered drinks at the bar, leaving the barmaid gushing over his antics. She slipped them a free drink, winking at Moblit as he took the moonshine. Their night was just getting started when a creature not anything like the insectoid Virkulianins entered the inn. He was a purple humanoid with lighter patches of lavander and wore a dark trench coat. His hands seemed to be attached to his pockets.

"And then!" Yvonne snorted, sloshing her drink. Being young and a total lightweight, she was already smashed after one drink. "He walked in on his own parents doing the deed -" She cut herself off, looking around suspiciously. "What's up guys? Why aren't you laughing at my ridiculously witty storytelling?"

"I feel like something's about to happen," Muto said nervously. A trail of black ink leaked from his body, spreading across the floor.

"Eww, Muto," Niifa hissed, folding her legs upward to avoid the mess. "And as for you, Yvonne, look who just arrived. He's not from around here. That's why everyone's got their eyes on him."

Indeed, every eye in the room was focused on the newcomer, who looked as if he were _bored._ Niifa smacked her lips in anticipation. Muto was right. Something was about to go down and it wasn't going to be pretty.

Ignoring the attention, he shuffled forward toward the bar, where the barmaid looked at him skeptically, her many arms placed on her long torso.

"I'm not familiar with Planet Virkulian," said the stranger, and it took Niifa a moment to realize that he was talking to her.

"Not many people are," Niifa replied, keeping her guard up. There was something strange about him and she didn't like it. Benzert put a large, meaty hand on her small shoulder, silently warning her not to antagonize or interrogate him. "It's what most would consider a backwater planet," she continued. "Why are you here?"

"On business." He did not elaborate.

"Hmm." Niifa raised an eyebrow at him. "Good luck with that."

"May I help you?" asked the barmaid, talking to the purple humanoid. "Or are you just gonna sit there?"

Unsurprisingly, he ignored her. Instead, he had his attention focused on something sitting behind Niifa: Yvonne. The girl was busy getting smashed on multiple shots and remained oblivious to the attention she was receiving from him.

Muto tapped Yvonne on the shoulder with one of his tentacles. "Psst. Hey Yvvy, I think that guy wants to bed you. He's staring."

Yvonne drunkenly glanced up at her starer. "What do ya want?"

"Come outside with me," he said briskly. "I need to talk to you."

"Uhhh okay..."

Yvonne let him lead her outside. At the bar, her friends and squadmates looked at each other in worry. Quickly, they got up, Moblit tossing a cheque at the bartender for their drinks. The Virkulianin's patterned eyes lit up as she caught sight of the huge overpay.

Outside, thunder clouds were rumbling. It was going to rain soon. All the Virukulianin were hastily trying to get indoors to try and wait out the oncoming squall lest they be caught out in the deadly rain.

"We have to hurry," Niifa said, her voice taking on authority. "We shouldn't have let that bastard take her aside! If she gets raped or sexually assaulted by that freak I'll never forgive myself."

They saw the mysterious man emerge from an alley, looking as cool and monotonic as ever. He flew off somewhere but Niifa and her friends weren't worried about him right now. If the man had indeed done something to Yvonne, he would pay for it later. It wasn't like he'd be hard to find anyway with his unusual appearance.

"He came from here," mused Benzert, turning around the corner. His beard and face fell at the same time as he saw something. "Oh no." He rushed over to a heap on the ground.

"What the heck?" muttered Moblit, he, Niifa and Muto following Benzert's lead.

Niifa gasped as she Benzert picked up something - no, someone - from the pavement in his arms. _Yvonne!_ "THAT BASTARD!" she screamed, running forward only to be held back by an equally stricken but more controlled Moblit. Muto had released at least a liter of ink from wherever, trembling on the spot. "MOBLIT! LET ME GO THIS INSTANT!"

"She's dead," Benzert said bleakly. He had closed her eyes upon finding her. "She's really gone."

Niifa's grief-induced howl reverberated across the city.

* * *

Kafara leaned forward in interest as she saw Hit appear in front of her. He must have used that remarkable ability of his to materialize so suddenly. "Is the deed done?" she demanded, clicking her nails on the arm of her hoverthrone.

"Yes," answered Hit, unfazed. "Now where's my payment?"

Kafara smirked. "Already added to your vault." She held out her hand and sauntered toward Hit. "Now for the second part of the deal."

Hit removed his hand from his pocket, revealing a small pint of his own blood. Kafara's eyes lit up with bloodlust as she eyed the corked vial. "Excellent." She took it from him, her slender fingers pinching the neck of the vial. "You've done well, Hit. You really have. Have you considered my offer of letting you join my empire?"

"No. Whatever you say, I'll still refuse. I am my own person, not a pawn."

"Really? Not even for the money?"

He didn't hesitate. "Not even for the money. My specialty is assassination. Do not make me repeat myself."

Kafara scowled at him, displeased by his bluntness. "Or what?"

She got no reply. Hit was already gone. She growled in frustration and contemplated smashing the vial before thinking better of it. She needed his blood after all. She uncorked the bottle and downed the contents in one fluid motion. "Delicious... How can such a bitter creature produce such sweetness?" When reminded of his rudeness, she glared at the floor, proceeding to pace around her throne room. "At least he got the job done," she muttered to herself. Kafara threw the vial into the air and shattered it with a well aimed chi blast. The pieces fell at her feet. "I have no use for spies. Tch. Yvonne... you could have been something great if only you had come clean and aligned yourself with me..." _I wonder what her name really was... 'Yvonne' is not a saiyan name..._

Someone knocked at the door. Kafara ignored them. They could wait. She paced even more furiously. "Monkey brat... Now who does that remind me of?" An image of Caulifla flashed through her mind. "Oh yes, her... She was a fun little thing while she lasted. Clever too, far more than Yvonne who had failed miserably at her espionage." _I wonder where she is now? Living on Sadala with all the other apes still, I expect._

Finally, she decided to answer the door. She did not have many visitors - most were too scared to dare approach her first. It was something that Kafara found constant delight in.

An alien resembling an avian bowed as he saw her. "My Lady, Head Technician Niifa is reporting a murder. The casualty is one of us."

"Yes, yes," Kafara said dismissively, knowing full well what Niifa was talking about. After all, she had sent the greatest assassin in the universe to dispatch of the spying saiyan. "Tell the Head Technician that we will be investigating the matter and that I offer her my condolences."

The bird-creature bowed once more before retreating down the hall. He shrieked in surprise when Kafara suddenly appeared in front of him with no warning.

Kafara chuckled darkly. "Now, is that any way to greet your esteemed leader?"

"M-my Lady!" he stuttered. "H-how?"

Suddenly, Kafara was back at the doorway of her throne room and leaning against the frame of the door. "It's not something you need to know... I was simply... testing my abilities. You may go now."

With a startled noise, he scuttled away with his feather plumage between his talons.

Kafara closed the door and smiled up at the high ceiling of her quarters. "If I ever see you again, Hit, I really must thank you." She appeared at her throne, then somehow teleported to the corner of the room. "Time-stopping... an ability evolved from time-skipping... You really are a marvelous creature, Hit!"

* * *

Goku and Caulifla woke at the same time. Kale was already gone; they could feel her not too far away. She was probably fishing or something. Goku had not returned home the night before. Instead, he had stayed with Caulifla and they... had done things. When he got up, he expected a roll of guilt but, surprisingly, felt nothing.

Next to him, Caulifla was stretching, her back curving as she exercised her arms. "Have a good sleep?"

"Better than ever," Goku said, yawning. "I just feel like relaxing though... No training today."

"Huh?!" She stopped putting her clothes on. "What are you talking about? I thought we were going to be training for blue today."

Goku waved off her concerns. "Be patient, Cauli. We'll get to that. But today, we rest. I'll take you to meet the gang." He tapped his chin. "If I remember something, Bulma invited me over today. It's supposed to be a party." _That means Chi Chi will be there... Oh well. Maybe she'll listen to what I have to say this time._

"A celebration for what?" asked Caulifla, tipping her head to one side.

"For surviving," Goku answered, sobering Caulifla.

"Right." Her voice held a nervous edge to it.

 _Poor Cauli..._ thought Goku. _Not existing... that sounds like a terrible fate. You can't even die!_

"We should get ready then," Caulifla said, still sounding slightly uncertain.

"Not yet." He nipped her ear, making her squeak in surprise. "First, some other things."

" _Pfft,_ you horny bastard."

Goku smiled as he kissed her. _Now there's the Cauli I know._

* * *

"No training?" parroted Cabba, looking up in surprise at Vegeta. "Is this about me being too weak, Master Vegeta? I can improve, I really can -"

"Shut up, brat," Vegeta growled. "The woman's having a party today so there will be no training. Under her orders, you and I are supposed to," he grimaced, "socialize and have fun."

Cabba was downcast. "Oh..."

"Don't give me that crap."

"Erk! S-sorry. Should I get something formal to wear?"

"No. The armor you're wearing is formal enough in saiyan culture."

"What about by earth standards?"

"Does it really matter?"

"Umm, right! No it doesn't."

Cabba quickly left Vegeta, the older saiyan having to freshen up due to being unwashed after a session of intense night training in the gravity chamber by himself.

The young saiyan wandered down the halls. If he didn't have the ability to sense chi, then he would have gotten lost on the first day. How did a normal human like Bulma find her way around this place? It was enormous!

Vegeta's wife had received Cabba well, not at all fazed by the presence of another alien in the household. He supposed it was a reasonable enough reaction - she was _married_ to an extraterrestrial after all.

"Ah, Cabba!" Mrs Briefs greeted cheerfully, holding a tray of freshly baked cookies. "Just in time!" She shoved the tray in his face. "Go on dear, try one!"

"Ahh, okay," Cabba said, taking one. It smelled absolutely delicious. The cookie was gone in one bite. "Wow, these are so good!" he exclaimed.

"Oh, you're making me blush," giggled Mrs Briefs. "I must say, you're far more polite than my daughter's husband." She huffed in mock exasperation. "The man wolfs down Big Macs like tic tacs. But you, my dear boy, have class!"

Cabba mumbled his gratitude before slinking away, not wanting to hear Mrs Briefs say anymore bad things about Master Vegeta.

He found himself outside, where Bulma was setting up the decoration with a bunch of robots. She glanced over at Cabba and smiled. "Hi there! I'm guessing Vegeta was finally agreeable for once and cancelled training."

"You could say that," Cabba said. "But I can tell I'm in for some gruelling training tomorrow."

"Definitely!" Bulma eyed his outfit, frowning. "Don't tell me you're going to wear that to the party?"

"H-huh? What's wrong with this?" He looked down at his armor. "Vegeta said it was fine."

"Yeah, well, it isn't. I would take you on an emergency shopping trip but I don't have time right now. But I think I have something that might be your size." She climbed down the ladder she was perched on. "Let me show you..."

Once they had gotten Cabba dressed, he looked at himself in awe in the mirror. "Wow, Bulma! This is great!"

"See! You look so much better in that."

"I guess I do." He beamed at his reflection. "Thanks!"

"You're very welcome. At least one of you saiyans is polite."

* * *

When Kale had woken up to see Goku and Caulifla asleep _naked_ in a single futon, she had instantly known something was up. At first, she fretted over Caulifla's previous debauchery coming back into play again but knew that it wasn't the case this time. So she had gone out for a walk. Fishing was an activity she had contemplated but she decided to forgo it in the end.

So why had they slept together? She continued to ponder on it until she found herself back at Grandpa Gohan's home. Hesitantly, she stepped inside, hoping she wouldn't see anything she didn't want to.

Thankfully, both of house's occupants were fully clothed and making breakfast from yesterday's leftovers, if one could call it that. It was a meal that could fill fifty people easily.

"Good morning," Caulifla said to Kale, Goku echoing her greeting as he fried fish. "Where were you?"

"Just went for a walk," Kale said quietly. "I needed to clear my head a bit..."

Caulifla leaned in closer to her, grinning. "Is it about Cabba?"

"W-what?"

"I'm not mad or anything. Cabba's a good guy. If you want to enter a relationship with him, then go for it."

"I don't know..."

"Ah, fine. But you'll tell him soon right?"

"I suppose." Anything to get Caulifla off her back about this!

"Breakfast's done," announced Goku. "Now you're going to eat your words, Cauli." He placed golden fried fish in front of her. "Domestic talent _is_ useful."

Caulifla ate the fish in one bite. "Whatever. Don't get cocky, Old Man." _... This coming from the girl who's fucking him,_ she thought to herself. Judging from the smug, amused expression on Goku's face, it was safe to assume he was thinking the same thing.

Kale, noticing the looks they were passing each other, cleared her throat. It was quiet but loud enough to break them from their trance.

"Oh, right," Goku said, a bit sheepish. "It's time to eat!"

* * *

 _ **A/N: I swear, I feel like I'm writing longer and longer chapters as I go on. idk. We'll see.**_

 _ ***Yes his name is Moblit! The exact same name given to Hanji Zoe's assistant in Shingeki no Kyojin! That's just me being 'original'.**_

 _ **Please review! Thanks to all the people who have reviewed so far! When I first started writing I never thought it would get this much attention. The first chapter was literally just me word vomiting to relieve stress. I even put on some Chill radio and ordered room service (yes I was staying at a hotel).**_

 ** _Thanks especially to MLPSTEVENUNIVERSELPS who was first and 50th review. Her one review gave me the drive to continue the story._**

 ** _Also, did anyone get the TFS reference? I'll be so proud if you did xD_**


	14. The flipside

The phone beeped noisily as Bulma waited for the person on the other end to pick up. She hummed to herself as she waited, picking up a pen and twirling it in her hands. She was sitting in her private quarters, a place where she could work on her inventions and relax at the same time. No one was allowed in there except for her but Vegeta and Trunks barged in occasionally anyway, whether it was for a good verbal spar or a request for a new video game.

Bulma was going to hang up and try again another time when they finally picked up.

"Yo!" a female voice on the other end said. "What's up, sis?"

"Oh, nothing much. It's not the end of the world or anything," replied Bulma. "But I'm having a party today. Do you think you could drop by, Tights? You still haven't seen Bra yet. I want her to meet her aunt."

"Right!" A small grunt sounded, then the barking of a dog and the hissing of a cat on Tights' end. "Umm, hang on..."

Bulma stared at the phone with a bewildered expression as the sounds grew louder, the dog and cat seemingly having a fight. "Is everything okay, sis?"

"Fine!" Tights voice shouted, her mouth far too close to the receiver for Bulma's comfort. "Let me just get out of these pajamas...!"

Bulma sighed but giggled to herself. Her sister, though her senior by a decade, could act so childishly sometimes. But that was the endearing thing about Tights - she was like a kid who would never grow up. Like all mortals, she would _grow old,_ but grow up? Tights could be a graying old lady on her deathbed and still manage to crack an immature joke about someone's mother. _She's just like Goku. It's adorable, really._

"Well?" Bulma said when it went silent. "So you coming over or what?"

"Yep!" chirped Tights, something jingling as she spoke. "Boy do I have a surprise for you. Bra too. I can't wait to meet my niece!" Her sandals clip-clopped against the tile flooring of wherever she was and Bulma heard a car door shut before said car had its engine revved.

"I'm only about an hour away from the mainland," Tights told her, the engine reduced to a content purr. "I'll be there in time. Expect a blue and pink submarine hovercar parked in the street."

"Got it. Bye, Tights."

"See ya, Bulma!"

* * *

Bulma had just finished freshening up when she went outside to see Chi Chi placing a large amount of food on the table. No matter how much Bulma insisted, the Son matron would always bring her own for her boys and the other guests. But what was puzzling was why she was here so early. Being the wife of Goku, she was normally late, having to practically shove Goku into proper attire.

"Hi, Chi Chi," Bulma greeted, making the raven-haired woman turn around.

"Oh, hello Bulma," Chi Chi said, looking like she hadn't slept for days.

Bulma tilted her head slightly. "Okay, spill. What's wrong? And where are Goku and Goten?"

"Goten's got a bit more homework to do before he can come," Chi Chi answered, tightening the bun on her head. It only served to accentuate the bags underneath her eyes from sleepless nights.

"And Goku?"

Chi Chi looked down at her feet. "I really don't want to talk about this..."

"Oh, but you need to," Bulma interrupted. "Seriously, Chi Chi. It's no good bottling up feelings like this. What's happened between you and Goku?"

Chi Chi bit her lip, unwilling to speak about what had been happening.

"Chi Chi," Bulma prompted with a hard voice. "You can talk to me. Us girls have to stick together, you know?"

"Of course..." murmured Chi Chi, finally looking up. "Could we please go inside?"

Bulma led her to the living room, where she knew they'd be alone to discuss whatever needed to be discussed. Vegeta had flown off somewhere while Cabba was occupied in the greenhouse, likely ogling at all the different varieties of plants and animals present.

"Well?" coached Bulma.

Chi Chi sighed and sat cross legged on the couch. "It's quite complicated, Bulma. You don't even know the half of it."

"Then tell me!" Bulma said impatiently. "Stop stalling, Chi Chi."

"Alright, alright!" Chi Chi huffed in exasperation. "It's just that..." She groaned, rubbing her temples, as if talking about it drained the rest of her energy away. "Ever since those gods came it's been nothing but trouble with Goku. He just goes off and trains all the time. I would understand if the world was in trouble, but it wasn't! Goku just up and went off to who knows where to train with Beerus and Whis."

"He is a saiyan," Bulma said placatingly. "They live for fighting."

"You think I don't know that?! People may think you drew the short straw in the saiyan husband lottery but it's really the opposite. Goku's simply never here anymore and I..." She growled in frustration. "I can't stand that! We're supposed to be a family. He left us once for seven years with some _bullshit_ excuse and now he's doing it again. That's not what a husband's supposed to do, Bulma. For goodness sake, he didn't even know what marriage was before. And then I practically forced him into it..." She buried her face in her hands, her hair messing up again. "What if he doesn't love me anymore? Is that why he keeps leaving? Did he even love me in the first place?"

Bulma rubbed comforting circles on Chi Chi's back, totally silent. It was now time for Chi Chi to speak, not hers.

"After Majin Boo... just when I thought we could start being a family again... _this_ happens."

"This?" echoed Bulma, unsure of what she was referring to.

"Those meddlesome gods!" Chi Chi snarled, her hands curling around her cheongsam. "They show up and suddenly my world's turned upside down. They took Goku away from me. And then there was that god forsaken tournament. _Again_ I thought things were going to be back to normal once more." She chuckled hollowly. "But apparently, I was wrong. _She_ came and now I'm forced onto the sidelines."

Instantly, Bulma's interest picked up. "Who's _she_? Don't tell me Goku's cheating on you!"

"He might as well be. Ever since she came, Goku's been spending all his time with her. I try to give him hints. We even stopped being intimate so he could be reminded of me! I thought I was going to have him crack soon. I sent him away two nights ago and I haven't seen him since."

"You think he's sleeping with the other girl," Bulma said plainly.

"Of course!" Chi Chi said irritably. "I'm not blind nor am I stupid. He's falling in love with her, even if the oaf doesn't know it himself. They've probably already done the deed. _Two nights,_ Bulma. How else could he spend his time? You know the essentials of a male saiyan's life are fighting, sex and food. I used to be able to provide for all three but now... Things just aren't working out. I haven't cooked him dinner in the past few days. Don't even get me started on the sex."

"Chi Chi, I think you're going about this the wrong way," Bulma began. "Look, I'm going to be honest with you. You've scared him off."

"Scared him off?" Her voice started rising. "Scared him off?! Is that why he left me to raise a son for seven fucking years?! Because I scared him off?! So he preferred staying dead than facing me?!"

Bulma winced at the younger woman's increasing volume. "Chi Chi -"

"WHAT I'M DOING IS WHAT IS RIGHT! Why can't anyone see that! I want to protect my family!"

 _Maybe because your yelling could make a grown man piss himself while somehow screaming in seven different languages when he only speaks one?_ Bulma thought sardonically.

Chi Chi made an unintelligible angry sound and stormed off. At that moment, Vegeta entered, looking unimpressed at Chi Chi's retreating figure.

"Trouble in paradise?" drawled Vegeta.

"You could say that. I don't know about you, Vegeta, but personally, I think it's an utter miracle that they've been married for so long. Chi Chi's great in her own fiery demon way but I don't think she's right for Goku."

"Hn. I'm inclined to agree. It's astounding how much control the harpy has over Kakarot. It's his fault for letting it get this far. The buffoon might as well be an earthling pet at this point."

"Yeah..." She sniffed. "You're going to need a shower, mister. Honestly, you freshen up and then ruin it all over again."

Vegeta glared at her. She glared back, equally fierce.

He relented. "Fine."

As he walked off, Bulma beamed. During the battle with Majin Boo, Vegeta had died along with the creature's most evil form. But in his place, a new Phoenix had risen from the ashes: the one she called her husband.

The doorbell rang, surprising Bulma. "Who could that be? All the guests normally just fly in."

* * *

After breakfast, Kale had decided to go after Cabba. She knew that Goku and Caulifla were eager to use her absence for more private affairs so she made haste. She was now flying toward where Cabba's chi was located, fluctuating from what Kale had discerned as excitement.

 _I wonder how Cabba's doing?_ she thought. _What's got him so excited? Is... is it another girl?_ Kale gulped at the thought of Cabba spending time with another woman. Even though most people thought of her as a blissfully naive person, she was well aware of what an attractive female could do to a male. Cabba could easily be laying with a beautiful earthling right now. There was nothing stopping him after all - he and Kale were by no means 'official' and she wasn't sure if he truly loved her like she loved him. Kale was plain. Kale was mousy, as Val had said. Kale was weak. Kale wasn't beautiful. So why would Cabba ever be attracted to someone like her?

Kale held the tears back. _Caulifla said no more crying. I should listen to her and stop crying over nothing...!_

Before she knew it, Kale was at Capsule Corp. The place was certainly big. She couldn't help but gasp in awe as ogled the giant dome-like structure. Sunlight was being reflected off its yellow paint job, giving the place a contemporary feel to it.

Caught off guard by the building which was sure to hold some pretty important people, Kale landed at the front door and smoothed down her skirt before knocking. When no one came, she knocked again, noticing a small button-like device to the side as she did so. When no one responded to her knock, she pressed the button. It vibrated under her finger, making a strange bell-like noise.

"Huh...?" She studied the device closely, her eyes narrowing.

The door opened, making her squeak in surprise and jump a few feet into the air.

"Hi there!" the blue-haired woman on the other side of the door greeted. "Did you need something? How did you bypass security?"

"S-security?" stammered Kale, shrinking into herself.

"Well, yeah. The only way you could pass through the gates is by... flying." She broke into a grin. "Hey, you're one of us right?! I think I recall Cabba describing someone like you. Man, he wouldn't shut up about you! Come on it, Kale!"

Startled, the only thing Kale could do was blink as her legs operated on autopilot, moving her into the house.

"The name's Bulma," the heiress said, shaking Kale's limp hand. "Don't talk too much, huh? Cabba did say you were extremely shy."

"Oh," Kale said dejectedly. _Is that all he said about me?_

Bulma clicked her tongue. "You have good taste in clothes. But this is a real big celebration party and I want you to wear something more formal casual."

"I don't have any other outfits..."

"I'll see what I have in my closet! Meanwhile, you go and find Cabba and enjoy yourself. He was in the greenhouse the last time I checked." Bulma disappeared into another room, leaving Kale by herself.

 _Greenhouse? Just how big is this place?_

Pretty big, she soon found out. If it wasn't for her ability to sense chi she would have never been able to locate where the greenhouse - and Cabba - was.

The doors of the greenhouse automatically opened for her, revealing a humongous room that looked just like the outside world. It wasn't called a greenhouse for no reason - the entire place was filled with all sorts of flora! If she looked closely, she could see monkeys climbing up and down the trees. A bush rustled and two baby dinosaurs came running out, one chasing the other with a happy dinosaur smile on its face.

Kale's eyes gleamed. _This place is so beautiful! It's like I've wandered outside again. Am I outside?_ She glanced behind her shoulder, identifying the white light coming from the interconnected room. _No... I'm definitely still inside._

She explored the indoor jungle, looking around in awe-filled wonder as she walked around. A small bird flew up to her and perched on her head. At first, she tensed up, but then relaxed as she realized that it was virtually harmless. She moved her hand to her head and felt the bird's feet clutch around her slender fingers. She brought her hand back down to observe the bird with wide eyes. It chirped melodically at her and she broke into a wide grin, her heart filling with a pleasant something she couldn't quite identify.

Another bird landed on an unoccupied finger, encouraged by the presence of the other bird. This one seemed a lot more shy somehow. It kept its head low and only chirped when the other bird twittered first.

A third and hopefully final bird landed on Kale's thumb in an almost huffy manner. If it had arms, Kale was sure that the bird would be crossing them in exasperation. It made a noise that seemed to be antagonistic to the other birds. The first bird squawked back indignantly while the shy one hid its head in its wings.

 _They're like tiny people. Each of them have their own personality._

"Kale!"

Cabba was approaching her, twigs and leaves sticking out of his hair. He was wearing his saiyan armor, having put the party outfit aside in his room. There were a few scrapes on his knees but they were superficial. Cabba smiled at her. "It's good to see you again, Kale!"

"I missed you too," Kale murmured before realising that it really _wasn't_ an appropriate response. She blushed beet red and the fiery bird on her thumb chirped loudly, as if it were encouraging her to not be so shy around Cabba.

She felt something warm wrap around her body and her arms dropped to her side, the birds flying off in random directions. It took a moment for her to register that Cabba was hugging her. Shocked but still coherent, Kale slowly embraced him as well.

Meanwhile, Cabba was looking petrified, thankful Kale couldn't see his expression. _Why did I do that?! What if I sent her the wrong message?_ He pulled away from her abruptly, clearing his throat. "Are you here for Bulma's party?" _What a dumb question,_ he berated himself. _Why else would she be here?_ Hope bloomed inside his heart as he considered another possible reason for her appearance. _Maybe she's here to visit me?_

"I'm here for the party," Kale said without thinking. _Oh, that wasn't it... I came here for you not the party._ She was about to correct herself but decided against it. _It's going to be weird telling Cabba I followed him here. What if he thinks I'm clingy?_ Well, she _was_ clingy when it came to people she cared about but she didn't want Cabba to label her as that and write her off!

"Oh," Cabba said woodenly. He tried to smile. "Well that's great! The party should be starting soon. I've just been spending my time in the greenhouse. Do you know that they have creatures similar to Hooplahs on Sadala?"

Cabba led her away into the foliage, talking nonstop about the various types of fauna and flora in the greenhouse while Kale paid explicit attention to his rambling. She hadn't known he was a nature person - heck, she didn't even know she liked animals until her encounter with the birds! Most of the wildlife on Sadala had been vicious and bloodthirsty and Kale had made sure to stay well away from them. Earth's animals were a nice contrast to what she was used to.

As Cabba talked, he tried to make everything sound interesting, the thought of boring Kale sending him into a sweat. What if Kale didn't like nature or botany? _Are girls supposed to be into botany? My sister always preferred shopping... That's it! Maybe tomorrow I'll take her shopping. Caulifla should come too. We need more than one outfit and having a gi in Caulifla's case doesn't count. Vados didn't give us all that money for us to just store it away,_ he added to himself, thinking of the cash that he had stuffed into his drawer and forgotten about.

Thry circled the entire place before finding themselves back at the entrance. Bulma was there, leaning against the doorframe.

Bulma beamed at them. "There you are, Kale! I found a super cute dress for you!" She scowled at the saiyan male next to her. "As for you, Cabba, what happened to that outfit I gave you?"

"A-ah, it's in my room," replied Cabba, flustered at the prospect of having to endure a scolding lecture by Bulma.

"Well what are you waiting for? Kuririn and 18 have already arrived with Marron and I could have sworn I saw Ten and Chaozu fly by the window. Chop chop!" She ushered Cabba out of the room before turning to Kale with a grin. "Lets go to the dressing room. You won't believe what I've picked out for you!"

* * *

"Formal attire?" Caulifla repeated as she followed Goku into the bedroom he shared with Chi Chi. He was sifting through the closet, looking for something proper.

"Yeah. Chi Chi won't be happy if she sees me in some 'ratty old gi' as she calls it. Bulma did say the dress code was casual formal and _she_ won't be happy either if I show up as I am now."

A snort. "Are all of Universe 7's saiyans masochists when it comes to their mates?"

"Isn't it like that in Universe 6?"

Caulifla flopped down on the bed, her gi wavering as she did so. "Not really. In our saiyan culture, it's always been the male who asserts dominance over the female in a relationship. It's why I don't have a mate, even if most females my age have already been mated and have three kids."

 _Man, I hope she doesn't bite my head off when I ask her this. Bulma always does._ "How old are you anyway?" He tensed, ready for cookware to fly upon his head.

"Hmm... around twenty six last time I checked," came Caulifla's reply.

"Huh? How do you not know? Don't you celebrate your birthday?"

Caulifla blinked confusedly at him. "You mean the day I was born? How the hell am I supposed to know when that is?"

"Uh, birth certificates? Anyhow, on earth we celebrate the day we were born by having a birthday party."

"I honestly don't see the point," Caulifla told him, unfazed by his changing right in front of her. He was now wearing a white shirt with sleeves that hugged his biceps and reached partway down his forearm with a pair of dark grey slacks. "Why would you celebrate growing old? You're one step closer to dying by old age if nothing else kills you first."

"Wow, way to ruin birthday parties," Goku said sarcastically. "You're a real ray of sunshine, aren't you?"

"I'm just calling it as I see it," was the indifferent response. "It's not my fault earthlings are constantly looking for something to celebrate about, even something as trivial as a... birthday party, was it?"

"Yeah. I've never actually had one before since I don't remember when I was born. But still, it's gotta be nice to have a birthday party."

"Can't you just make one up?"

"Sure, but it's just not as real."

Caulifla rolled so that she was now lying face up. "Tch. So how old are you, Old Man? Fifty?"

"Aww, did you really have to ask that?" Goku whined, sitting on the bed with her. "Chronologically, I guess I'd be forty two. But I guess I my body never really aged when I was dead to I'd be..." He paused. "Thirty three."

Caulifla gave a noncommittal grunt. "Should I wear anything special to this party we're going to?"

"I dunno. I don't think Chi Chi will appreciate you wearing her stuff."

Caulifla instantly got up and started rummaging through the closet with a wicked grin.

"Cauli!" exclaimed Goku, shaking his head. "I get that you don't like Chi, but seriously?"

"I'm dead serious." She pulled out a bunch of cheongsams. "Is this really all that she has?" Caulifla threw them onto the bed without a second thought, Goku catching them. Chi Chi hated it when her clothes were ruined after spending so long ironing them.

Finally, Caulifla pulled out a black dress that seemed acceptable enough for a social gathering. The dress came down to her mid thighs and the straps were thin. She wrinkled her nose at it before discarding her gi and putting it on. "She didn't strike me as the type for black and lacy."

"I don't remember ever seeing that," Goku said, not missing how the dress hugged her curves nicely. "Well, she _might_ have worn it on the night we made Gohan, but -"

"Shut up, Goku."

* * *

Bulma was right. Kale really _couldn't_ believe what Bulma had picked out for her. It was a long, flowing red dress that hugged every nook and cranny of her body like a glove.

"It's one of my mom's dresses," Bulma told her, fixing a small wrinkle on the side of the dress. "So, what do you think?"

Kale looked nervously at herself in the mirror, turning around. "It's... nice. But the back is a little low, don't you think?"

Indeed, the cut plunged down quite deeply, stopping just above the small of her back.

"Oh, but you have the body for it," cooed Bulma. "You look so beautiful, Kale!" She eyed the saiyan thoughtfully and rubbed her chin. "Oop, hold on." She gently pulled out the hair tie keeping her spiky ponytail up.

Kale gasped in surprise as she watched her hair come unbound in the mirror. It fell down in a spiky wave, moving as if each strand was part of a single entity. More of her bangs fell forward and she brushed them to the side so that they framed her face perfectly. She couldn't help but shiver at her reflection. Was this really her?

"Oh. My. God." Bulma clapped her hand around her mouth in awe. "Honey... you look AMAZING!"

"Y-you really think so?"

"Hell yes! I know so! Cabba's gonna be all over you!"

"W-what?" _Why is it that almost everybody knows?_ "How did you know?"

"I didn't. But thanks for confirming it for me." At Kale's flabbergasted look, she touched her shoulder reassuringly. "Don't worry. I already knew before. Call it woman's intuition. I doubt any of those blockheaded males know, though, so you have nothing to worry about!"

"Okay..."

* * *

Goten had left the house as soon as he finished his homework. He was now landing st Capsule Corp. in search for his best friend, Trunks. Eventually, the youngest Son found his partner in crime in his room playing video games.

"Trunks!"

"Hey, Goten! Wanna watch me beat up Bowser on Galaxy?"

"No thanks... Can we do something together? Please?"

Trunks switched off his gaming console. "Ah, fine. What do you want to do then?"

"Explore!"

"Goten, you practically live here," Trunks deadpanned. "Seriously, what is there to explore?"

"Oh..."

Unable to see his best friend looking so down, Trunks said, "Well, there is one place..."

Five minutes later, they were inside Bulma's 'top-secret' invention room. Goten protested about going in because of the 'top-secret' part but relented when Trunks insisted that everything would be okay.

"I don't know," Goten mumbled as Trunks rolled a sheet of blueprints and tucked it somewhere else. "This seems wrong."

"Don't be a baby, Goten. It was _your_ great idea to explore. You got your wish. We're exploring, aren't we?"

"But we're trespassing!"

"Relax," Trunks assured his best friend. "Nothing's going to happen. We can sense chi, remember? And even if we get caught it won't matter since I'm mom's son."

"Okay, then. If you're sure." Goten shot him a skeptical glance for extra measure.

After another five minutes of 'exploring', they were about to leave to do something else when they caught sight of a machine attached to the wall. It looked like a television but not... a television. Somehow.

"Cool," Trunks said, admiring the television-not-a-television. "I wonder what it does?" He flew up to it and pressed the power button.

Both boys looked up at it in awe as they watched it turn on in a dramatic show of lights. Once it finished powering up, the screen was still black though the lights framing it were glowing bright blue.

"Lame," Trunks scoffed. "Guess I was wrong before. It's obviously some kind of failed experiment mom made."

They were about to turn around and leave once again when the blackness of the screen suddenly broke. A fuzzy face appeared on said screen. The person, a woman, seemed to be in great distress.

"Hello?!" the woman screamed as the screen cut her image into strips. "Hello, is anyone there?!"

Goten jumped and hid behind Trunks, scared.

Trunks folded his arms and glared up at the woman with his best imitation of Vegeta's glare. "Who are you?"

"Trunks?! Trunks, is that you?"

The hairs on the back of Trunks neck pricked up in alarm. "Yeah," his voice wavering slightly. "What's it to you?"

"Trunks, it's me, Chi Chi! Goten's mother!"

"Huh?! Stop lying, Goten's mom is here! Not... wherever you are." He narrowed his eyes at the black backdrop.

The resolution increased for a second, allowing Chi Chi's face to be seen clearly for once. Trunks stared up in shock and confusion.

"Trunks, listen, there's no time!" Chi Chi said urgently. "You have to tell my husband to stick with Caulifla and to _not_ return to that other version of me in your timeline! Don't let your future end up this way!"

"What?! Caulifla? Who's that? And where's Goku returning from?"

"She's coming! She's coming -" The stream ended with a piercing screech that sent fear into the children's hearts. The screen flickered again. The last thing they saw on the screen was a pair of glowing red eyes that would haunt them forever.

* * *

 _ **A/N: Is anyone else confused? ;)**_

 _ **Guest got the TFS reference from last chapter. Good on you, Guest!**_

 _ **To the reviewer to asked why I used 'chi' as opposed to 'ki' (that's you, Gr3ninja!) it's because I've been reading the manga since I was five years old. I've never watched a single episode of DBZ or DB before. Or even GT. The only anime of DB franchise I've ever watched and continue to watch is Dragon Ball Super (because I can't find any legitimate means to get my hands on the manga). It's the same reason why I used 'Herculopolis' instead of 'Satan City' or 'Muten Roshi' and 'Kamesenin' instead of 'Master Roshi'. Same goes for 'Eresa' and not 'Erasa' and 'Kuririn' not 'Krillin' as well as 'Kaiosama' not 'King Kai' and 'Boo' not 'Buu'. Long story short, I prefer the VIZ English manga translations.**_


	15. Reflection

"M-mom?" stammered Goten, staring at the blank screen. "MOM?!" He pushed Trunks away and floated up to the machine to shake it. "MOM! MOM! MOMMY COME BACK!" Tears pricked his eyes as he continued to shake it, dislodging it from its place on the wall. "DON'T LEAVE ME MOMMY!" A golden blaze erupted around Goten, sending papers flying all over the place.

"GOTEN!" Trunks shouted over the wind. "GOTEN, YOU HAVE TO CALM DOWN!"

"THEY TOOK MY MOMMY AWAY!"

"I SAID CALM DOWN! THAT WASN'T YOUR MOM! CHECK HER CHI. IT'S STILL IN THE BUILDING!"

Goten took a deep breath and forced himself to relax, trembling. He spread out his chi senses and, upon finding her chi, felt an overwhelming sense of relief. "Y-you're right..." He went out of super saiyan and floated back to the ground. "Sorry Trunks!" He looked around at the mess he made, wiping his tears away. "I'm sorry..."

Trunks simply sighed and threw an arm around his best friend's shoulder, bringing Goten closer to himself. "It's alright. I probably would have done the same thing if that were my mom..."

The two boys sat in silence, huddled together. Goten's transformation had reduced the machine to pieces and important looking flyers were now stuck in places that they shouldn't be. The blueprints Trunks had put away earlier was now plastered to the ceiling after a pot of glue smacked into the roof. Goten continued to sniffle occasionally, finding comfort in Trunks' brotherly embrace.

 _My mom's okay,_ he thought numbly. _She's okay... Mommy's okay..._

Suddenly, the door burst open and a livid Bulma stood at the doorway. "What. Have. You. Done." She gave the boys a hairy eyeball, making them quiver in fear. "Well?! What part of 'top-secret' did you not understand, Trunks?! And you too, Goten? I'm ashamed of you both."

"It was all me," Trunks piped, unwilling to put his best friend into trouble after the poor Son had gone through such a distressing experience. "I made Goten come in here with me."

"Of course it was you," Bulma huffed, a vein throbbing on the side of her head. "I would have been less mad if you hadn't _completely trashed my lab!_ "

"Sorry..." Trunks muttered dejectedly. "It won't happen again."

"Damn right it won't, mister! Because you're grounded for a month! No video games or TV!"

"What?!"

"You heard me!"

Trunks clenched his teeth in anger but didn't argue. It would only lead him to be punished even more severely.

Bulma released a sigh and moved forward to hug Trunks. "Don't do it again. Ever. I love you so much Trunks and I don't want you to get hurt doing things that you shouldn't be doing."

Trunks blinked in surprise but snuggled into the crook of his mother's neck anyway. "Um, okay. Love you too, mom."

Goten watched on with large eyes, feeling a bit of remorse. _When was the last time I hugged mom?_ He made a resolve to give her the biggest hug ever as soon as he saw her.

"Get out of here, boys," said Bulma, considerably less angry - she even smiled a little. "Don't let me catch you in here again."

"Right!"

* * *

Chi Chi was helping herself to a cup of much needed tea in the kitchen when a small body glomped her. The tea sloshed in her cup as she startled. She looked down at a mass of black spikes, blinking confusedly. "Goten?"

A sniffling noise sounded as Goten started crying into her the side of her cheongsam. Chi Chi picked him up and wrapped his arms around him comfortingly. She rested her chin on top of his head, allowing him to freely sob into the front of her dress. "What's wrong, sweetie?"

A muffled sob. "I... I love y-you, mommy."

Chi Chi was pleasantly surprised. She felt a warmth that she hadn't felt in a long time as her child's words sank into her brain. _Love._ Chi Chi kissed the top of Goten's forehead. "I love you too, my brave little boy. Now tell me what's wrong. Mommy will make it all better."

"Please don't leave me, mommy."

Chi Chi smiled, her eyes starting to water. _When was the last time he called me mommy?_ "Oh, Goten. I'll never leave you. Even when we're apart, we'll always find a way back to each other, okay?"

Goten mumbled something before looking up at Chi Chi's face with tearful eyes. "Okay. You promise?" He held out his smallest finger expectantly.

Chi Chi looped her own pinky finger around her son's. "I promise, Goten. Now, I'll reiterate. What's wrong?"

"I thought you were g-gone," Goten said, choking on a rising sob. "I don't want you to go."

Chi Chi hugged him even tighter, a hug that Goten gladly reciprocated. For what felt like an eternity they stayed like that - a mother comforting a son in a time of need. "Shh... hush, Goten." She began to rock him in her arms. "Hush. Mommy's here. Mommy will always be here." Twin trails of wetness ran down her face. "I promise."

* * *

"I don't know," Kale said, stepping out of the dressing room in that lovely red dress of hers. "I _still_ think the plunge is too low..."

"We have to strike while the iron is hot!" declared Bulma, expertly walking in her high heels. She was hardly sweating even after dashing back and forth from her lab and the dressing room. "And boy, Kale, are you hot! If I were a guy and unmarried I think I would be buying you drinks right now."

Kale moved in a clunky fashion - she was not at all used to walking around in stilettos. "Can I at least go barefoot?" She rubbed her arm nervously. "I mean, if that's okay... I don't want to be a burden."

Bulma, clad in a purple dress that reached the top of her knees, turned around. "No way! Come on, Kale. Every girl needs to learn how to walk on heels. Think of it as a rite of passage."

"O-okay," Kale managed to say as Bulma grabbed her arm and dragged her off.

At the other end of the building, Cabba was admiring himself in the mirror. Was this really what he looked like wearing earth clothing? It looked better than he had expected it to look. He wore a white tailored shirt and a pair of tan pants complete with suspenders. It was... classy, in it's own way. _Will Kale like it?_

Finally, he exited his bedroom and made his way outside, where a bunch of powerful energy signals were gathered.

* * *

Tights wiped sweat off her forehead as she exited her car, a bag in her hands containing the surprise she had bought for her little sister and her new baby. She walked in a swaggering gait toward her old home, grinning with excitement. _Bulma's not the only genius in this family!_

She whistled merrily as she went on her way. _I'll have to thank Jaco for helping me make it._

* * *

"MMM!" Beerus hummed in delight, his tail twitching in euphoria. "YUMMY!" He popped another six more octopus balls into his mouth, chewing all of them at once. When the gods had heard that a party was in order to celebrate Universe 7's survival, they really couldn't decline.

"Don't eat so fast, Lord Beerus," chided Whis. "You'll give yourself a bellyache. Don't you remember what happened last time?"

Beerus twitched slightly as he glared up at his attendant, not at all pleased to be reminded of _that_ particular incident. Damn, he had looked badass when he smashed the menace Arale into the wall by simply tapping his foot. But then that was all ruined when his stomach did not respond well to 'all the most delicious foods in the world'. "Dammit, Whis. You just _had_ to go there."

"Ohohoho! Maybe if you had actually chewed that time you wouldn't have come down which such a terrible case of diarrhea." Whis' eyes slanted slightly in amusement.

"Quiet, Whis. There are people listening." Beerus shot a nasty glare at Piccolo, who was famous for having extremely good hearing and had the misfortune to be nearby while they discussed Beerus' 'unfortunate incident'.

The Namekian, leaning against a tree, sighed. "I didn't hear anything, Lord Beerus."

"Good. I'm glad we're on the same page here." Beerus smacked his lips and moved onto a fajita plate and a burger all at once.

"Really, Lord Beerus!" exclaimed Whis, exasperated. "Did you just ignore everything I told you?"

"Mrrpphh! You're ruining my good mood, Whis!"

Just then, Bulma arrived with Kale in tow, the latter looking shyly at the ground. Bulma said something to Kale, making the younger girl nod. Then the heiress left her to look after her other guests, leaving Kale looking petrified. She moved to the side where she believed she wouldn't be in anyone's way, leaning on the opposite side of Piccolo's tree without realizing the presence of the Namekian on the other side.

Bulma caught sight of Cabba, who had just arrived also. "Don't you look dashing?" She sashayed over to him and whispered cheekily into his ear, "I bet Kale will love it!"

Cabba turned red. 'Y-you really think so?" He examined himself. "I was thinking she might say it looks ridiculous. Even if I think it look's good..."

"Nonsense!" Bulma said, waving off his concerns. "You could wear a trashbag and she'd still think you look good." She bumped his hip with her own. "Go get her, tiger!" The blue-haired woman gestured to Kale, who was looking a little lost stationed by the tree.

"Uuhh, I think I want a drink first."

"Pfft. Go on. But don't think you can avoid it forever!"

Piccolo, whose ears were good enough to catch every last detail of their conversation, smirked in amusement. Beerus noticed his change in expression.

"Hey," said the god, "what are you doing? Is there something on my face?"

Piccolo straightened instantly, his head banging painfully onto an overhanging branch. "There's nothing on your face, Lord Beerus. I just heard something interesting."

Beerus instantly relaxed. "Ah yes. My ears are big enough to hear that also." He twirled an octopus ball in his claws. "Those saiyans. They're from Universe 6, no?"

"I believe so," answered Whis. He glanced into his staff. "Their names are Cabba and Kale. A third saiyan from the same universe will be joining us soon." His scepter displayed a moving image of Caulifla and Goku flying through the air, both dressed smartly.

"Who invited them?" demanded Beerus. "I wasn't aware there was an open invitation to members of other universes. Have they somehow earned the right to celebrate their existence also?"

"I invited them!" declared Bulma, waltzing up with a champagne in one hand. "So don't go bullying them, yeah? They're my guests and I want to make sure they're treated right."

Beerus made a noncommittal noise. "Yeah, yeah, whatever."

Oolong, who was standing with Yamcha and Puar, witnessed the scene. He snickered and whispered to his friends, "Bulma's got that god wrapped around her finger." Luckily for him, Beerus was too far away to catch their discussion. "Man, I wish I was him sometimes. I would make _full use_ of my godly position." He waggled his eyebrows, making Yamcha laugh and Puar sigh and shake his head.

Yamcha huffed a sigh. "It's really a shame that I wasn't invited to the tournament. I really could have done something." He glanced over at 18 and 17, who were talking with Cabba at the drink's table. "I could have been a hero like the rest of then."

"Aww, it's okay!" Puar said, trying to cheer his friend up. "You would have given Universe 7 an unfair advantage with your skills and power!"

Yamcha rubbed the back of his head, sweatdropping. "You're right. I would have decimated the rest!" _Man, if only it was a baseball competition..._

17 was busy chatting to Cabba with a deadpan expression on his face. "No hard feelings right?" he said, referring to how he had knocked the saiyan out of the Tournament of Power.

"Sure," replied Cabba, slightly unnerved by the android's unchanging visage.

"Good," added 18. "Because that wouldn't be nice, now would it?"

"No, it wouldn't sis."

"Definitely not."

"We already know how it feels."

"We were bad guys once after all."

"Remember when you broke Vegeta's arm?"

"Hah! Do I! What I wouldn't give to do it again."

Cabba sweatdropped as he regarded the android twins who seemed to be finishing each other's sentences. "R-right..." _Please don't hurt me. If she was strong enough to break Master Vegeta's arm once..._

Fortunately for Cabba, Kuririn, carrying Marron in his arms, unknowingly intervened. "Yo! How's it been with the wife and kids, 17?"

"Good." 17 took Marron from Kuririn. "Hello, Marron." This time, he made sure to pronounce the girl's name correctly, lest he face the wrath of his twin sister.

18 observed them icily as 17 bounced Marron up and down, the former's daughter laughing with joy. "You'd better not drop her. I will kill you if you do, make no mistake."

With that, Cabba slinked away, not wanting to hear this conversation anymore. _Did she just threaten to kill her own brother?! What kind of people am I hanging out with?_ He looked around, desperate for some familiarity. His eyes were about to meet Kale's, but the giant, passing figure of Gyu-Mao caused him to miss her staring his way.

Vegeta finally made his appearance with Tights by his side, the two conversing.

"Are you really her sister?" demanded Vegeta, his eyes narrowed.

"For the last time, yes!" shouted Tights. "Have you finally got that into your thick skull?! So what if I'm blonde? I take after my mom!"

"Your eyes are strange. They're not blue like your mother's."

"Oh for goodness sake, we've been through his already. I have half of my genetics from my mother and half my genetics from my father. My father has dark brown eyes while my mother has blue. Dark brown is the dominant gene!"

"I was under the impression that your father's hair DNA was the more dominant one. So why is it that you take after your mother?"

"OH MY GOD! FOR THE LAST TIME, THERE'S SOMETHING CALLED RECESSIVE GENES YOU KNOW!"

"Vegeta, leave her alone," Bulma scolded, taking Tights aside. "Go brood or something - I want to catch up with Tights first!"

Vegeta grumbled something as the ladies left him to stand by one of the many buffet tables, which he really didn't mind as it gave him an opportunity to dig in to the delicious food laid out before him.

"Hey sis!" Tights said, looping her arm around Bulma's. "I have the surprise in here~"

"Just put it over there. I want you to meet Bra first. She's resting in her room but it's nearly time for her to wake up."

As the two ladies walked back into the building, Goten and Chi Chi came out, the former holding a cookie in his hand and smiling up at his mother. Chi Chi lovingly swept some crumbs off his mouth before giving him a kiss on the forehead and letting him go play with Marron, who was now out of 17's arms and clinging to her father's legs. The Son matron smiled as Kuririn gave Goten a hair ruffle before sending his daughter off with the other child.

"Gohan, Videl!" Chi Chi called to the young couple. "Oh my, Pan looks like she's gotten bigger already!"

"I know!" Videl said with a smile, tickling the baby who was in Gohan's arms. "I can tell she'll look just like you in the future."

"I can't wait for my granddaughter to grow up. I'll teach her how to cook, how to sew, how to clean..."

"And if she wants to be a martial artist like dad?" asked Gohan.

There was a pregnant pause.

Then Chi Chi giggled. "Don't be ridiculous Gohan! If she looks like me, she'll be like me!"

"Ah, right..." Gohan and Videl exchanged a glance. Despite what Chi Chi said, if Pan wanted to be a fighter like the rest of the males in their family, then they would support their baby girl every step of the way.

* * *

Caulifla narrowed her eyes as the sunlight reflecting off the Capsule Corp. building glared at her. "Is that the place? I can sense a lot of powers down there."

"That's the one," Goku answered as they flew down to the backyard, where a number of figures could be seen.

They descended and landed softly on the ground, the grass billowing around their feet. Goku raised a hand in greeting. "Hey everyone!"

Almost the entire party stopped. Then;

"Goku!"

"Oh my gosh, it's Goku!"

"Uncle Goku!"

"Who's that with him? She looks familiar."

"Goku, try some of these octopus balls."

"Hey! Don't touch those. They're mine. If I find you near them again I'll destroy you."

"Really now, Lord Beerus. Please refrain from doing so at a party to celebrate existence."

"Goku, long time no see, no?"

Caulifla removed herself from him as his family and friends swarmed over him in the friendliest greeting she had ever witnessed in her life. Only a few hadn't joined in on the practical dogpiling of Son Goku. Androids 17 and 18, Piccolo, Vegeta, Kale and Cabba were standing aloof. And then, of course, there were the gods, Whis and Beerus, who were too busy chowing down on food.

"Oi. Cabba," Caulifla said as she walked up to him. "Never thought you'd subject yourself to wearing that."

"Says the one wearing an earthling dress."

"Hn. Touché." Caulifla glanced over at Kale. "Why don't you go talk to her? That green man's no good company."

"No, it's okay, she's better off there..."

Caulifla crossed her arms and glared nastily at him. "Are you trying to make some sort of statement?" She leaned forward. "You're not saying you're too good for her, are you?!"

"Eep! No, no, of course not. That's not what I meant at all." He shuffled his feet. "I just get so nervous around her..."

"If you don't talk to her by the time the party ends I will castrate you with a rusty carving knife," threatened Caulifla, shoving a finger in his face to emphasise her point. "Got it? Either you grow a pair or lose one."

"Ah! Right!"

Caulifla watched him stumble over to where Kale was standing and couldn't suppress a smirk. She still had it. She turned around and met back up with Goku, who was standing in a circle with Kuririn, Yamcha and the two shapeshifters Puar and Oolong.

"Wow, who's the babe?" Oolong chuckled. "I saw you fly in with her."

"Guys," Goku began, "this is Caulifla. I don't know if you remember her, Kuririn, but she was a competitor in the Tournament of Power."

That statement alone made Oolong back off, leaving the circle of friends with the excuse of "I need to use the bathroom suddenly".

"So this is the famed Kuririn," mused Caulifla. "You're shorter then I remember."

"... At this point, I'm just glad someone remembered me at all."

They all laughed, even Caulifla, who was glad the diminutive man didn't take her words to heart. She could guess that he was already used to this kind of thing, recalling how 18 had mercilessly ripped him to shreds when he had been sent to the bleachers. "You call yourself my husband?" the blonde android had snarled coldly.

"Tournament of Power, huh?" Yamcha let out a low whistle. "You must be pretty strong. You're a saiyan right? Does that mean you can turn into super saiyan too?"

Caulifla responded by doing just that, forcing a wind up into the air. "Does this answer your question?"

"Wowza!" exclaimed Yamcha, clearing not expecting her to go super saiyan just like that. "What Universe are you from? You weren't part of Universe 7's team."

"Universe 6. So are Cabba and Kale." She gestured over to where Cabba was awkwardly offering Kale a drink. Caulifla had to stifle a laugh. Kale didn't drink alcohol! _Cabba, you fool..._

Out of the corner of his eye, Goku noticed Chi Chi going back to the building by herself. _Chi Chi! Now's the perfect time to talk to her. ... But do I really want to? She'll probably get mad again..._

He had made up his mind to go after her when she returned carrying a gigantic pie with one hand. She had a small smile on her face - it was the type of scheming smile that was rarely seen on Chi Chi's face.

Goku perked up in alarm as she made her way over to them. No one else had noticed Chi Chi storming toward them like an angry baby rhinoceros. Caulifla was out of her super saiyan form and busy having a meaningful conversation with Yamcha ("You thought that a weakling like you would be invited to Zeno's tournament! Don't make me laugh!") while Kuririn was guffawing at Yamcha's dejected expression. Puar was trying his best to comfort the scorned Yamcha.

"Chi Chi -" Goku started but Chi Chi pushed past him.

The Son matron stood in front of Caulifla with the pie in her hand. "You made a promise to me. And you broke it."

Caulifla raised an eyebrow at her. "What the -"

 ** _Splat!_**

* * *

Kale stood at the tree, sighing through her nose as she observed the party guests. They were all having fun - everyone except for her. Bulma had dressed her up nicely but nobody had really noticed her.

That was until she saw Cabba walking up to her. She had to refrain from staring at him for so long. That was Cabba?! Well, it had to be. He looked exactly the same, except that he was dressed like a male model. He held two glasses of spirits in his hands.

While Cabba walked to her, his heart started beating more erratically as he noticed the changes she had done to her appearance. _She... she let her hair down! She looks to beautiful..._ He blushed. It wasn't like he hadn't seen her with her hair unbound before.

But this... this was different. And _that dress..._ He was now standing in front of Kale. "Nice to see you again, Kale..." He cleared his throat. "You look lovely."

"R-really?" _Does he really think so?_

"W-well of course!" He laughed nervously. "Anything you wear looks beautiful on you. " _Gyaahhh! Why did I say that?! What if she doesn't like forward men? This is me being forward, right?_

Kale shyly looked down. "Thank you, Cabba... You look very nice as well." A small blushline appeared on her face.

"Thanks..." He remembered the two drinks he had with him. "Oh right! Want a drink?" He held out one for her.

"Oh, no thank you. I don't really drink."

Cabba threw the drinks across the courtyard. "Me neither!" he declared hastily. The two drinks landed on Muten Roshi's head, making him cry out and alerting the waitress to his perverted actions.

Roshi's cries could be heard by all as the waitress smacked him over the head with her metal tray.

"Umm, Cabba... That was a little unnecessary..."

Cabba sighed. Obviously this pussyfooting around was getting him nowhere. "Listen, Kale. I..." He swallowed. "I really like you and I want to get to know you more."

"Really? Umm, I like you too... And I'm not just saying that! I really do." _Uh oh, did I go too far? What if he doesn't like me that much?_

Cabba gaped in disbelief. "What? Man, and all this time I thought you wouldn't like me back..."

Kale moved forward to capture him in a warm embrace. "Well... I do."

Cabba reciprocated her hug, blushing when he realised how low the back plunge was on her dress. Bulma was definitely responsible for that outfit.

"Do you want to go to the mall with me tomorrow?" Cabba blurted. "I can convince Master Vegeta to let me go for a day."

 _He wasn't kidding when he said he wanted to spend time with me!_ A small smile crept onto her face. "It's a date."

Just then, all the talking ceased as everyone watched a massive banana pie smash into Caulifla's face, courtesy of Chi Chi. They watched as Caulifla wiped the gunk off her face. They watched as Caulifla threw said gunk into _Chi Chi's_ face. They watched as the two women glared at each other, then stormed off in opposite directions.

"Hah!"

The silence was broken by Beerus, his ears twitching in amusement. "The entertainment is certainly prime today."

Slowly, everyone returned to their own devices.

"Should we go after her?" wondered Cabba, referring to Caulifla.

"I think we should give sis a chance to cool down first."

"Yeah, that's probably a good idea."

* * *

"Ta da!" Tights exclaimed with a flourish, revealing the surprise. "What do you think, Bulma?!"

Bulma stared at Tight's unusual gift. She certainly hadn't been expecting that. She thought Tights was going to give her an endless supply of babywear and diapers like most normal aunts did. But then again, what had given her the idea that her family was normal?

Tights gift rolled over on the ground, its tail wagging. The blonde Briefs had gotten her niece a robot dog. A robot dog of all things.

"I made it myself," Tights said proudly.

Bulma deadpanned at her.

"We~ell, okay, with a little help from Jaco too..."

Bulma continued to deadpan.

"Alright, alright! Jaco helped a lot. Happy?"

Bulma giggled and picked up the robot animal. She scratched it behind the ear, eliciting a happy response from the metal dog. "Extremely. You're the best aunt ever, Tights! Bra will love it."

"Yeah, you'd better believe I'm the best aunt ever!" huffed Tights with mock irritation. "At least I'm not like Uncle Boxer. Do you remember what he gave me for my twelfth birthday?!"

"Oh, yeah! I remember it very well, in fact."

Tights groaned and pushed her face into her hands. "Math tutoring! He got me math tutoring for my frickin' _birthday_."

"In Uncle Boxer's defence, you certainly needed it."

Tights glared at her and threw a pillow at her, making her little sister giggle as the pillow hit her chest with a soft thump.

It was at that moment that Bra chose to wake up, cooing. She blinked curiously at a Tights, who was now hovering over Bra's crib. Bra gurgled happily and reached up at her to try and touch her face.

"Hi there, sweetheart!" squealed Tights, enveloping the baby's hand with her own. "I'm your auntie Tights! I'm the coolest aunt around so if you ever want something your parents won't give you, just come to me."

"Thanks," Bulma said dryly. "If she starts rebelling before she hits her teens I'm pinning it all on you."

"Hee!" Bra said.

"You're soooo cute," groaned Tights. "You make me want to have kids! Even though we both know that's not happening." She directed the last sentence at Bulma.

Bulma hummed sympathetically. "I know." She stood up from her place on the floor and stretched. "I'm going to see what I can salvage from my lab. The boys made a mess of it earlier."

"Oh my!" said Tights. "I'll join you. That reminds me, I haven't ever met Trunks before. He's got lavander hair like dad right? So why didn't I see him outside?"

"Trunks is grounded," Bulma told Tights as they walked to her lab. "And rightly so!" She opened her lab door. "Just look at this place!"

Tights let out a low whistle. "Wow. It looks like a war zone." She started picking up papers with complex equations on them, not understanding a lick of it. The elder Briefs sister was putting it on a nearby desk when she heard Bulma shriek. Quickly, she dropped the papers and went over to where the scientist was standing in front of what looked like a broken television.

"This was my latest invention!" moaned Bulma. "And it's ruined! Urrgghh..."

"What did it do?" asked Tights. "It looks like some flashy TV to me."

"This baby," Bulma gestured to the broken machine, "was going to be used so I could talk to my future son. It's like an inter-dimensional telephone." She glared at the scrap metal that it was now. "Remind me to extend Trunk's ban from all things good by another month."

"Duly noted," Tights said, though, inwardly, she wouldn't. She had to keep up her reputation as the cool aunt after all.

Bulma grabbed a tarp and was about to hang it so that it covered the broken device when suddenly an image flashed on the screen. Bulma froze, staring up at it. "D-did you see that too, Tights?"

"Yeah... It looked like a rabbit?"

The image flashed again, this time accompanied by sound. "Niifa's log... oh how the mighty have fallen..." The anthropomorphic bunny fought to keep her eyes open, her blonde curls flat and dirty. "This... is former Head Technician Niifa reporting..." The camera moved so that the Briefs could see a metal crowbar impaling the bunny's chest. "So... much... death. And... she's responsible..."

"Turn it off!" screamed Tights, unable to see the gore in front of her without freaking out.

But Bulma didn't. She continued to stare in horror.

"I see you, earthlings," Niifa rasped, coughing out blood. "Just... make sure it doesn't get this far... Not even... the gods... were spared." Her eyes started to dull as life seeped away from her. "Not... even.. the gods..."

Bulma switched it off, knowing that Niifa had died and that they weren't going to get anything else out of a corpse.

Tights collapsed to her knees, breathing hard. "What the hell was that?"

"I don't know, Tights... I don't know."

* * *

 _ **A/N: Umm. Yeah?**_

 _ **Next chapter will be the shopping trip. Hopefully more lighthearted.**_

 _ **Please review! (3**_


	16. Burning bridges

"Bulma!" Tights called, running after her sister as the blue-haired woman stalked down the halls. "Bulma, wait! Where are you going?"

"My room," the heiress said curtly, not stopping for her elder sibling. "There are some things I need to sort out..." She halted in front of her quarters. "Listen Tights. I wouldn't let the others know yet. I just need to figure out some things first before I go announcing that we're about to have an apocalypse if things don't change. I don't want anyone freaking out. You go back to Bra and play with her and Wally for a bit before returning outside."

Tights nodded. "Just one thing. Wally?"

"Why not?" Bulma retorted. "I've always wanted to have a puppy called Wally but I never got the chance..."

"Mmhm." Tights brief amusement faded away. "Sis. What's going on? Do you have any idea? You made that machine after all."

"I don't know what's going on," Bulma admitted. "But trust me when I say I'm going to find out. If they ask about my whereabouts just say I as feeling a bit under the weather from all those drinks I had, 'kay?"

"Fine. But you know how easily I crack under peer pressure, so don't blame me if Vegeta smashes your door open while you're busy 'being sick'." She said the last part mimicking quotation marks with her fingers.

"Got it." Bulma gave Tights a brief thumbs up before entering the room and shutting the latter out.

Tights sighed. "Why do all good things have to come to an end?" She had been hoping for more bonding time with her sister. "Oh well... I'll go see Bra and Trunks and then it's back to the party for me." The gory image of the dying rabbit passed through her mind, sending a chill down her spine. _I hope Bulma figures things out soon..._

* * *

As the two females, one saiyan and the other one fierce enough to be a saiyan, stormed off in opposite directions, Goku was at a loss of what to do; who to go after. He stared after Caulifla for a bit before retreating in Chi Chi's direction.

"Chi Chi! Chi Chi, wait up!"

Gohan furrowed his brow. _What's going on? What have I been missing?_

"Gohan?" Videl said, her voice filled with concern. "Are you okay?"

Pan made a small squeak as her father rocked her particularly violently as he snapped out his thoughts. The small baby pouted at her father, who apologized softly and kissed her forehead.

"Why is it that I feel like I've been missing something?" Gohan wondered aloud. His gaze sharpened. "Mom and dad are having a fight, aren't they? I bet Caulifla is somehow behind is."

"Don't you think you're jumping into conclusions too soon, Gohan?" asked Videl, taking Pan from her husband and bouncing the babe lightly in her arms.

Gonan stared solemnly after Goku. "I don't know, Videl. But I'm going to find out."

"Let them talk to each other first," Videl advised, raising her voice slightly. "It'd be better that way."

Saiyaman's alter ego took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Fine. I just hope they don't hurt each other too much. Mom's really sensitive even if she doesn't show it at times. At the same time, she can be insensitive too. Gah, parents are so complicated!"

Videl couldn't help but chuckle slightly at her husband's expense. "Oh? Does that mean we're over complicated too, then? After all, we're parents too."

Pan cooed in agreement.

While the young couple spoke, they didn't notice Cabba and Kale flying after a seething Caulifla.

* * *

"That witch!" Chi Chi howled, slamming her fist on Bulma's expensive wooden table just as Goku reached her. "That dirty hussy... stealing my man!" She wiped off the pie stuffing from her face with a cloth.

"Chi Chi!" cried Goku, putting his hands around her trembling shoulders. "Chi Chi, calm down." He met her furious gaze evenly. "We need to talk, Chi Chi. About everything."

Chi Chi looked like she wanted to spit on his face. "Oh, so _now_ you want to talk? Where were you last night?! I waited for you all night!"

Goku's stomach immediately rolled with guilt. Had she really waited all night for his return? He couldn't imagine how she had felt when he hadn't shown up. And what had he been doing? Satisfying his needs with a certain saiyan female. Suddenly, all his actions caught up to him. _Is this what it feels like when you cheat on your wife?_ he wondered. It was a terrible feeling - one of guilt mixed with shame and the feeling of uncleanliness.

"Well?!"

"I needed to get some things done," Goku told her, knowing full well that Chi Chi would never forgive him if he told her the truth. "But really, Chi Chi, we need to talk." He pulled a chair out and sat on it, watching as Chi Chi reluctantly did the same.

"Fine," said Chi Chi, the mental exhaustion of the past few days suddenly catching up to her. "We'll talk."

"Thanks. Man, where do I begin... Oh yeah. I guess we could start at why you threw the pie at Caulifla?"

Chi Chi folded her arms and sniffed haughtily. "If you're trying to get me to apologise to that... _female,_ then you've got a long day ahead of you. There's no way in hell I'm doing that."

"Okay, but could you at least tell me why you did it?"

"It was because she broke a promise to me Goku," Chi Chi explained. "She told me she wasn't out to steal you away from me. She lied to me, Goku. That was the very least she deserved. You're... you're in love with her now."

"No, Chi Chi!" Goku denied. "Of course I'm not. I love you, Chi Chi, not her. There was never any romance between us."

"Oh, really?" Chi Chi challenged. "Are you absolutely sure?"

There was a tense silence.

"No," Goku finally admitted and Chi Chi's face fell. "But I would never leave you for her Chi Chi. I love you more than I'll ever love her."

"How do I know you're telling the truth?" Chi Chi muttered. "Hell, you just admitted to liking her. Why should I even be listening to you?"

"You don't know," Goku said, answering her first question. "But if you're willing to give it another try..." He trailed off, looking at her expectantly.

"I don't know," Chi Chi said flatly. "How do I know that we won't become further apart again?"

"You don't," Goku repeated. "We just have to trust each other." He outstretched his hand toward her. "Please, Chi?"

Chi Chi looked at his hand, torn. After what seemed like an eternity, she took it, her small hand sliding into his larger one. "On two conditions," she said softly. "One, I don't want you to be around her anymore."

Goku dealt a blow to his own heart as he nodded. Chi Chi was his world. And he would give up Caulifla's training to be with her. Sure, he loved Caulifla too... but it wasn't _that_ kind of love. "And the second condition?"

Chi Chi hesitated. "I know that you're a saiyan and that fighting is in your blood... but when you're on your training trips, try not to stay too long, please. Come back every once in a while."

Goku sealed it with a kiss. "Deal." _I'm sorry Caulifla. I'm sorry that we couldn't finish our training. But you have to understand. If you had a mate, you'd do the same thing for him or her too, wouldn't you? It's an unbreakable bond._

There was something in Chi Chi's heart that wasn't there before. Even as her husband kissed her passionately, she felt nothing. But of course, she wasn't going to let him know that. They were mates, weren't they? She relaxed. They would learn to love each other again. It would just take time.

"I'm sorry," said Chi Chi when they pulled apart. "I know that I can be a bit... unreasonable, at times. If I hurt you in any way, I apologize."

"I'm sorry too. We shouldn't have let ourselves grow so far apart. It won't happen again as long as I'm still loving you." He got up and embraced her but could put help but notice how tense her shoulders were as she hugged him back. It was going to take a while so rebuild bridges but it was going to be worth it in the end.

Wasn't it?

* * *

"Hey, Caulifla!" Cabba shouted, flying after the pie-covered saiyan. "Hold on a second!"

"What?!" snapped Caulifla, halting and narrowing her eyes at Cabba, ignoring Kale, who was floating behind him.

At her harsh tone, Kale instantly deflated. "S-sis, we just wanted to make sure if you were okay."

"I'm fine," Caulifla said stiffly. Not even Kale could shake her out of this mood right now. "Really, Kale. You don't have to baby me."

"I'm sorry... I just... I just..."

"Caulifla, we're only asking because we care," growled Cabba. "Don't push us away now. Especially not Kale. We're trying to help."

"I don't want your help! The only reason I flew away was because if I'd stayed any longer, that harpy would be dead ten times over!"

"Take your anger out on me then, Caulifla. But leave Kale out of it."

Caulifla's gaze darkened. "I would never hurt Kale. _Never. So don't ever insinuate such a thing._ But you?" She cracked her knuckles. "Do you know what you're getting into, Cabba?"

"Caulifla! Cabba!" cried Kale as they gradually powered up, a white aura surrounding them. "P-please don't...!"

Down at Capsule Corp., most of the guests had stopped their socializing to check out the fight that was about to happen.

Hercule Satan looked up in awe as he stood next to Boo, still slightly disbelieving of their power even after spending so many years with them. His knees trembled. _Man, I'm glad I'm not on their bad side!_

Marron ran back into Kuririn's waiting arms; the diminutive man picked up his daughter and held her close to his chest, the strong beating of his heart calming the little girl. Goten was standing with Gohan and Videl, the latter shooting concerned glances at the direction where Chi Chi had marched off in a gooey mess. Secretly, Gohan hoped that Cabba would give Caulifla the thrashing of her life. Even if Chi Chi had thrown the pie first, there had to be some reason why the Son matron had done it in the first place. Caulifla was in no way innocent.

The Namekians, Piccolo and Dende, looked passively at the powered-up saiyans, the smaller Namekian sweating slightly at the sheer power that was being released. _Such power... Not even Freeza had been this powerful back on Namek._

Vegeta beheld the Universe 6 warriors with an indifferent stare, his onyx eyes cold. From a distance, his posture would seemed relaxed, but closer up, one could see him bracing himself for battle.

Even Beerus and Whis stopped shoving food in their seemingly bottomless bellies to observe Cabba and Caulifla. Both of the saiyans had now gotten into battle stances, with Kale watching helplessly to the side. Beerus' ears twitched in mild amusement. _This should be interesting. They'd better not blow away any of my food though._

Though different thoughts were racing through the guests, most of the warriors were tense, geared up to intervene in case the fight went awry. They would never know - saiyans were so unpredictable after all, if Goku and Vegeta were any indication.

"Kale," Caulifla said, her voice low as she transformed into a super saiyan, Cabba doing the same. "You should probably go back down with the others."

"B-but sis -"

"That's an order, Kale."

When Kale wilted, Caulifla sighed. "I'm sorry, Kale. But if I don't release all this... anger now, it'd be even worse later on. You of all people should know that." She grimaced. "It's not going to be pretty. I apologize in advance for any damage I do to him." Caulifla hugged Kale, her golden energy warm against Kale's wind-cooled skin. "Also, you look really nice today. That dress suits you."

Kale smiled weakly. "T-thank you, sis..." With that, she floated downward to observe the inevitable fight from the ground. "Do well, Caulifla! You too, Cabba!"

* * *

From his bedroom window, Trunks watched in anticipation as the two saiyans sized each other up before clashing in a massive explosion of sound waves and sparks. He sighed. The thought of a fight would normally excite the demi-saiyan but he simply wasn't feeling up to it today. The vast difference in his and the other saiyans' power couldn't even compel him to feel inadequate.

He tried to push the thoughts of what he had seen a mere hour ago, his brain filling in the blanks on Chi Chi's demise. He shivered as the morbid thoughts went wild in his head. It wasn't like he wanted Chi Chi to die - he would never wish death on Goten's mother, no matter how overbearing she was - but it was... a macabre curiosity. What had the creature done to kill her? Did it slaughter her like a pig? Did it torture her? For everyone's sake, Trunks hoped that it was the former. He groaned and bashed his head on the bedframe - not hard enough to to break said bedframe of course. His mother would add another month to his punishment if he did that.

There was a knock at the door. Trunks groaned. _Has she come to add more punishment?_

"Hello~" an unfamiliar voice chimed. "Is anyone in there?"

 _Huh? What the - that's not mom!_ He reached out with his chi senses and found the energy signature to be similar to his mother's with some differences. _Who's that?_

"Hello?" the voice sang again, accompanied with some more knocking. "It'd be polite to answer you know."

"Y-yeah!" said Trunks, sitting up on his bed. "You can come in..."

The door opened and a woman with short blonde hair and overalls entered. Her dark eyes, almost as black as Vegeta's, were filled with mischief (while Vegeta's was normally reflecting a killing intent). "Wow! You look so much like dad."

"Who are you, lady?" asked Trunks, crossing his arms.

The woman bowed in a dramatic fashion. "It's an honor to meet you, Prince Trunks. The name's Tights!"

 _Tights... only one family would name their kids after underwear..._ "Did grandma and grandpa have another kid?"

"Ding, ding, ding!" cried Tights, doing some jazz hands. "I'm your mother's sister, which makes me your aunt."

"Whoa! Really?!"

"... You're asking me if aunts are the sisters of your mother? Man, I thought this family was supposed to be smart."

Trunks shook his head. "You know that's not what I meant." He stepped onto the floor. "Are you really family?"

"My last name is Briefs so I would suppose so."

Trunks eyed her warily at first before hugging Tights' waist. _She's family! She smells like mom does._ He felt her hand pass through his lavender locks as she ruffled his hair playfully.

"I'm sorry I haven't been around much," Tights said. "I'm a very busy person but that's really no excuse to not drop by from time to time." She hugged him back tightly. "I hope that I can rectify my mistake. Will you give me a chance, Trunks?"

"Heck yeah!" Trunks blurted without hesitation. "I can't believe I'm meeting my aunt for the first time..." He examined her, rubbing his chin. "And you don't look like those stuffy old ladies on the sitcoms. You look like a _cool_ aunt."

"Ohohoho!" Tights chuckled haughtily. "You better believe it, honey! I'm the coolest, hippest aunt around!" She paused and blinked. "Is 'hip' not 'in' anymore?"

"Not really, but I'll let that slide."

"Aww, thanks! You've just made this old lady's day!" A lightbulb could practically be seen popping up over her head. "Hey, you haven't met Wally yet, have you?"

"Wally?"

"Hooboy, do I have a surprise for ya!"

* * *

By the time their fight ended, Caulifla's (Chi Chi's) dress was in shreds; totally irreparable without taking many hours from a professional tailor. Cabba wasn't too well off either, his 'model clothes' as some had deemed it, ragged and flapping in the wind.

"Good fight," Caulifla grunted, taking care to make sure that the black fabric still concealed everything. She could _not_ live down another humiliating incident concerning her clothing - or lack of thereof. "You know, you seem to have a natural talent when it comes to pissing me off."

"What can I say?" Cabba said, wincing as he felt a fresh bruise throb on his arm. "It's what makes me appealing."

Kale raced up to them as they landed, the other guests parting slightly. "Oh, thank goodness you're both okay!"

"Of course we are," Caulifla said, smirking. "It's not like it was a fight to the death or anything. Isn't that right, Cabba?" She purposely elbowed him in a spot where she had fractured one of his ribs.

" _Oof!_ Right..."

"That was a pretty intense fight," Yamcha commented. "It really did look like you two were fighting to the death!" Oolong and Puar were hiding behind his legs, peeking out slightly with wide eyes.

"I wouldn't have killed him," huffed Caulifla. "Don't make it sound like that."

Android 18 approached them with her brother. "You know, we should spar sometime."

"I agree," said 17. "Me and 18 against you and Cabba, yeah?"

"If you feel like getting your butts kicked, sure," Caulifla said with a nonchalant shrug. "Tomorrow?"

Cabba sighed. "Don't go arranging fights now! I have something on tomorrow."

"T-that's right," Kale added shyly. "He's, um, taking me to the mall. So please don't schedule anything for tomorrow... please?"

Caulifla nodded. "Fine. But we'll fight soon," she promised 17 and 18.

"What's this I hear about going to the mall?" demanded Vegeta, approaching Cabba with a dangerous look in his eyes. "And I suppose you just _thought_ you could skive off of training?"

Cabba gulped. "I-I was going to ask permission first, Master Vegeta."

"Too bad, brat. We're spending all day in the gravity room tomorrow where I'll whip your sorry ass into shape."

Cabba deflated. _Sorry, Kale. But there's really no force on earth that can possibly change Master Vegeta's mind after he's made his decision._ He shared a disappointed look with Kale, who nodded understandingly.

"HOLD ON ONE SECOND!"

Tights stormed up to them, a robot dog barking at her feet as Trunks tried to catch said dog. She halted in front of Vegeta with a defiant look in her eyes that eerily reminded everyone of Bulma's when they were angry.

"What do you want, woman?" growled Vegeta. "I'll say this once. _Do not interfere with my training._ He sought me out for help. He's not slacking off now."

"And I'll only say _this_ once," countered Tights, glaring up at the saiyan prince. "If you don't let him go shopping tomorrow then," she glanced around conspiratorially. "I just _might_ let it slip to your wife that _you would love to go shopping with her all day tomorrow."_

"... You wouldn't. I'll kill you if you do."

"Dragon balls," Tights reminded him. "Also, Bulma will cut off your manhood and destroy your gravity machine if you dare touch me. So what's it going to be? You have a choice, you know."

"God fucking damn it, this isn't a choice, it's an ultimatum!"

"Need I add 'no sex' to the list as well?"

Vegeta's eye twitched slightly as he snarled at her. "Why do you even care if he trains or not tomorrow?"

Tights leaned in toward him. "Because I get the feeling that they're destined mates. You wouldn't deny a fellow saiyan of spending time with their mate, now would you?"

"If the circumstances call for it, then _yes, I fucking would!"_

"I could always holler for _Bulma_ right now~" trilled Tights, looking at him triumphantly.

"... You witch. Fine." Vegeta tossed a glare at Cabba's direction, making the other saiyan sweatdrop. "Looks like you've got another day to yourself, you lazy fuck." He marched up to Cabba. "If you don't end up mating with her then I will crush your head into a pulp."

"R-right!" Cabba tried his best to focus on Kale instead, who was standing in the background as Vegeta's blue tailored shirt invaded his view. "I'll make sure..." _... So this is what an ultimatum feels like. A literal life or death situation._

"Say, what's that?" asked Kuririn, who had just noticed Wally for the first time. "It's pretty cute!" He put down Marron, the little girl laughing and grabbing at the robot dog.

"His name is Wally," Trunks answered, petting the dog as Marron played with the ears. "Aunt Tights made him!"

There was a pregnant pause.

Then;

"EHHH?! BULMA HAS A SISTER!?"

Tights sighed through her nose. "Hooboy."

* * *

Caulifla didn't return home until late, continuing to socialize with Cabba and Kale even with a shredded dress. When she got back to Grandpa Gohan's place, she noticed a chi presence inside her bedroom. She slipped in and saw Goku, the man blending in with the dark. There was no moon to reflect any of the sun's light tonight.

Caulifla raised an eyebrow, though that couldn't be seen by Goku. "Come back for another round?"

A pair of arms slipped around her. She blinked in surprise as she realized Goku as hugging her. It was a very... intimate gesture, and if she had to admit it to herself, the move scared her a little. Why did she feel like something bad was about to come when he released her?

"Cauli..." Goku breath tickled her ear and she shuddered. "I have to tell you something."

"... What?"

Goku removed himself from her and stared at her with remorse. "I can't train you anymore."

"WHAT?!" _What the fuck?! So_ this _is how the day's going to end?!_ "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!"

"I can't!" Goku exclaimed. "Chi Chi won't let me anymore."

"You are fucking joking. Because of that jealous harpy bitch -"

"Don't call her that!" Goku's own temper was rising now. _Don't ever call her that ever again._

"You didn't tell her anything, did you?"

"Of course not."

Caulifla snarled. "Then why should we stop training altogether? Because your mate is insecure?"

"No. Because I'm a married man and this..." He passed a hand through his hair in frustration. "Isn't appropriate."

"It was just sex," Caulifla said flatly. "We both know that there were no romantic feelings involved. But that's beside the point. So what if we had sex? I don't really give a rat's ass if we stop now. But training? That's a totally different thing entirely."

"What we've been doing," he paused and then corrected himself, "and I'm talking about the training, is something that Chi Chi doesn't feel comfortable with. I'm sorry, Cauli -"

"Don't call me that! Don't fucking call me that, you bastard! Do you think I'm too weak or something? I can improve!"

"No that's not it! It's got nothing to do with strength. It's just that Chi Chi -"

She cut him off maliciously. "It has everything to do with strength. It's about _you_ not being strong enough to stand up against her."

Goku glared at her. "No. It's nothing to do with strength and has everything to do with how much I love her. My training you has caused a rift in our relationship. So it has to stop. Why can't you just understand?"

"Maybe because it's completely unreasonable?"

"It wouldn't be if you just stopped and walked in someone else's shoes for a change. We hurt her and I'm going to help her no matter what."

"Why?"

"Because she's my wife and I love her. It's simple, Caulifla. We're not training anymore. I'm sorry about that. But what's done is done."

They stared each other down.

"You _coward."_ Caulifla ground out, her chi fluctuating angrily. She could feel his chi becoming increasingly agitated also but she didn't care. "Why would you even want to submit to that harpy bitch -" Her head jerked back from where Goku had struck her.

"Don't. Call her that."

They burst out of the door in a combination of golden flame and lightning. They attacked each other relentlessly, Caulifla fighting more furiously than she had ever fought before. She had never felt such a terrible rage before - any other fits of fury she might have had earlier on were nothing but mere temper tantrums compared to the outrage she was feeling now.

Goku was feeling equally outraged. How dare she describe Chi Chi with such terrible words. Her behaviour at the tournament had been unimpresssive but this really took the cake. _Why is it that fighting is the only way she'll ever understand?_

Caulifla growled as his fist skimmed her arm. _How dare he be so spineless against that human woman! I thought he was supposed to be a saiyan. The woman disrespects him. Period. So why does he keep going back to her?!_

They're fight did not end until both of them were embedded into rock, bloody and sore. Goku got up and stretched, wincing slightly. He turned to look at Caulifla, who was also getting up.

"I'm sorry it had to be this way," he said, his eyes gleaming with regret. "I really am. If it were up to me..." He trailed off.

"... I'm sorry too." _What do I have to be sorry for? For ever getting involved with Goku's stupid mate probably._ She didn't know what she was apologizing for. But whatever it was, it marked the two leaving everything they shared behind. In some way, that relieved Caulifla immensely.

Goku floated up and silently flew home, observing the moonless night. He was sorry. He really was. But what their apologies marked was what he really cared about. It wasn't as if they were really sorry for ever getting involved with one another. But this was necessary.

Sometimes, bridges had to be burned.

* * *

 _ **A/N: I know I promised the mall scene so that'll be next chapter. I decided to split this chapter. I'm posting two chapters in one day soo... hope it was worth the wait!**_

 ** _And for Mr X, nope, I'm not a pedo. They're both consenting adults. There's no pedophillia in this so I hope that that's all cleared up._**

 ** _And daww... no more Cauli and Goku for now. Chi Chi's intervened. But of course, Ascending is just getting started and they'll make a comeback later. Especially when Kafara's plot is unfolded._**


	17. Legend of the Flying Wig

Kale had stayed in Capsule Corporation with Cabba that night. Cabba's designated room was humongous and so a second bed was moved into the room for Kale. ("Until you two get more comfortable with each other," Bulma had said with a wink, either oblivious to their blushing or not caring at all about it).

The two saiyans had been unable to sleep that night and opted to talk instead. Their conversations primarily contained talk about Capsule Corp.'s party yesterday. They had really gotten to know the other Z Senshi warriors a little more; even Kale had opened up to Muten Roshi (completely unaware that he had been eyeing her chest the whole time). After leaving the old man by himself to get a drink of water, she had returned only to find him in a comical heap on the ground, Cabba standing nearby with a vein throbbing on his forehead, having realized the Turtle Hermit's perverted intentions. Though Kale had been a bit upset at first, she soon got over it when Cababa's act of chivalry truly registered in her brain. In the end, she had ended up sticking to Cabba and Caulifla.

Kale yawned and shuffled to the bathroom, closing the door. Today was the day. It was something that Kale dreaded but, at the same time, could barely contain her excitement for. It was their date: Kale and Cabba's date. Well it wouldn't really be a date; more like just friends hanging out, especially since both Cabba and Kale had agreed that Caulifla should tag along with them and invited Caulifla to join them at Bulma's party. The other saiyan had gladly accepted, though Kale suspected that she wanted to keep an eye on Cabba so he wouldn't try anything. Truthfully, Kale appreciated that, but she couldn't help but feel indignant on Cabba's behalf.

In the bedroom, Cabba was just awakening after a long night talking with Kale. He sat up in his bed and stretched, his muscles still sore from yesterday's 'friendly' spar with Caulifla. _She can sure punch, that's a given,_ Cabba privately grumbled as he got out of bed. Noticing that Kale was out of her bed and hearing the bathroom tap running, he decided to leave Kale to her own devices, checking his drawer for the cash to pass time. He had enough in that single wad to buy over five hundred expensive, top-of-the-market jetcopters. It was more than enough to simply buy a few outfits and food.

"Kale, are you nearly done?" Cabba called as he took the appropriate amount of zeni from the drawer. He tucked the money into a wallet that Bulma had given him when he first arrived. The rest of the money had to be kept in the drawer as the wad was simply far too fat to fit into any wallet. Capsules could have done it, but it was simply unconventional; the money would fly out everywhere every time it was released.

"Not yet," Kale replied, her voice hardly carrying over the rush of the shower water. "Give me a minute."

As he waited for her, he decided to check out what was available in the closet. He eyed some of the flashier outfits distastefully, not wanting anything that would attract any unwanted attention. _No, no... no... Is this shirt supposed to be reminiscent of the 'disco' Bulma talked about?_ He opened one closet after the other but couldn't really find anything that suited him. Of course, he had his armor, but he had just gone through the process of deciding _not_ to attract unwanted attention.

Cabba sighed. Even back on Sadala, Cabba always had trouble fitting in. He was short and small, taller than the average female but definitely shorter than the average male. For that, he had gotten much flack from it, especially from his commandant at the Sadala Defence Forces bootcamp.

"I'm done," Kale's voice reached his ears and she came out wearing a simple white blouse with a skirt.

Quickly, Cabba snatched up a plain tee and shorts and made his way to the bathroom. _I hope she doesn't think of me as an indecisive person..._

As he showered, Kale sat on the bed and fidgeted nervously. Her heart raced as she thought of the spending the entire day with Cabba. Of course, Caulifla would be there too, but she knew that her sis was smart and considerate enough to give she and Cabba some time alone.

There was a knock on the door and Caulifla came in before Kale could answer. The woman looked worse for wear, having not gotten much sleep last night; she'd been too angry. The fight she and Goku had was rough, and though she healed quickly thanks to her saiyan genes, she was covered with bruises and other lacerations that were still recovering. In other words, she was (almost) absolutely fine. She had decided to don the outfit she normally wore before she started her training.

"Caulifla," Kale said, mildly surprised. "Cabba's still bathing so if you don't mind waiting..."

"It's fine," Caulifla told her, sounding as tired as she looked.

"D-do you want to wear something else?" asked Kale, remembering the taxi driver's advice on not showing too much skin.

"... I suppose. What do you have?"

As they rummaged through the closet, Kale decided to strike up some conversation. "I'm so glad you'll be joining us today... I don't know what'd I do without you. Are you going to buy some new gis?"

At once Caulifla stiffened. "No. There's no need."

"O-oh... Why's that sis?"

Caulifla's hands gripped particularly tightly on a purple dress as she pulled it aside and grabbed a plain blouse and pants. She growled under her breath, making Kale step back slightly in alarm.

When Caulifla didn't answer and began changing instead, Kale tried again. "Is everything okay, sis?"

Caulifla buttoned up her blouse and rolled the sleeves up. "Okay?" She hesitated. "Yes, everything's okay now that I'm here with you. You're my beacon in the dark, remember?"

Kale beamed at the compliment but then frowned slightly. "A-are you sure, sis? You look... down."

Caulifla flashed her a forced grin. "Maybe if you smile and laugh today, I won't feel so down. A day without laughter is a day wasted, Kale. And trust me when I say that you've already wasted many days." She finished buttoning her blouse and out her pants on. "So will you do me a favor Kale?"

"Sure...! What is it?"

"Laugh, Kale. I want you to laugh and enjoy yourself, today. Don't worry about me. As long as you're happy, I'm happy." Caulifla gave her protégée a thumbs up. "Okay?"

"Okay!"

* * *

"... And I mean it when I say no flying in front of people!" Bulma finished. She tossed them a Hoi Poi capsule. "If you really want to experience life as a human, take this. It's got a self-driving car inside it. It's still a prototype but since I invented it, it's perfectly safe!" The heiress rubbed her chin. "Speaking of driving, at least one of you should try and get a driving licence if you're going to stay here long term."

"Thanks, Bulma. And please tell Master Vegeta I'm really sorry for missing out on training today," said Cabba.

 _Are we going to stay here long term?_ wondered Caulifla. Cabba and Kale had only come here because of her. Now that she was no longer training with Goku, what purpose did she have here? She snorted. The training hadn't even lasted a week before Chi Chi intervened.

"Yeah, yeah. You go on and have fun guys," Bulma told them, waving as she back-pedalled. "I have to get back to my lab... Lot's of things to consider," she muttered under her breath.

* * *

A giant, extravagant sign announced the presence of 'HERCULOPOLIS MALL' as Caulifla, Cabba and Kale arrive. All of them sweatdropped at the sight of Hercule Satan's unprepossessing visage smiling down at them.

"That is one ugly statue," Caulifla commented, raising an unimpressed eyebrow. "What kind of clowns designed this place?"

They had just been about to leave Capsule Corp when they had run into Vegeta, who was drinking an iced coffee. When he had asked (demanded) where they were going and they had told him "West City Mall", he had instantly paled and advised them _not_ to go to West City Mall. When Cabba asked why, the saiyan prince had only shook his head while muttering something about "elevators" and "fat people". Seeing the traumatized expression on Vegeta's face was enough to dissuade them and so they had traveled to nearby Herculopolis in the hopes of finding a better, _safer_ mall.

Needless to say, they were not impressed.

"Are you sure we're in the right place?" said Cabba. "I mean, I'm almost certain we are, but..." He gestured to the horrendous Hercule Satan statue that was erected right in the middle of the boulevard.

"I'm sure it'll look better on the inside," Kale told her friends. "We should give it a chance."

As they walked down the boulevard and into the mall, Caulifla couldn't help but notice that she and Kale were getting a lot of male attention. She smirked. As if Cabba would let any male near Kale. And there was no way Caulifla would give a measly human the time of day.

"Where to first?" asked Caulifla, shoving her hands in the pockets of her slacks. When they didn't answer she said, "Surely we've got some kind of plan?"

"Eheh, not really," admitted Cabba. "But oh! Look!" He ran up to a glowing screen displaying an array of numbers and letters. A minimized map sat in the corner of the screen. "This... seems to be some sort of directory." The saiyan started tapping the screen with a look of awe on his face. "This reminds me of the technology on Planet Sadala!"

As the trio crowded around the directory, across the mall, a female duo were checking out all the hottest clothes available at every designer store. Not that they could afford it, but it was nice to take a look.

"Vaaaallll!" Yumi Megumi whined. "I'm tired. Why are we even here?!" She stomped her foot. "I want to go home! Now!"

"Be quiet, you little brat!" hissed Val. Her once lovely ginger locks were now gone, in its place a cheap red wig. Her precious hair had been burned off during the chi explosion Cabba and Kale had caused when they fired a gigantic blast at her. "You know mommy and daddy cut off all my credit cards but if we look like we're desperate enough maybe they'll relent."

"What do you mean 'we'?"

"J-just shut up!" Val huffed and pulled a pouting Yumi along. "I'm going to Gurls4Eva and you are coming with me!"

"Don't wanna, don't wanna! I want to go to Candyland!" Yumi shouted, referring to the giant dessert-themed kids play area on level one. "Vaaaalll!"

"ARGH! Can't you quit yapping for five minutes?! I can never set foot in East City again if I want to save face! I can't believe I'm shopping at this two-bit mall. Don't you feel at least a little bit sorry for me?"

Remembering how badly Val had treated Kale, Yumi stuck out her tongue at her sister. "Nope. You were being a real meanie pants!" She winced as she felt her sister's manicure dig into the skin of her wrist. "Hey! That hurts, you know."

"It's what brats get when they don't behave."

Yumi glared at Val. _Don't behave?! Grr, I'll show you 'don't behave'..._ She muttered a spell quietly aimed her finger at Val's head, smirking when the spell was completed. _Now we wait..._

Val suddenly halted, her eyes growing wide. "Oh. My. God." In her stilettos, she dashed up to a brown-haired woman wearing shades. The woman's hair was tied up in a high ponytail and she was dressed smartly in designer clothes.

The woman faltered as she saw Val charging at her like an angry Hulk on steroids, sweatdropping slightly. "Erk...! Don't tell me..."

"COCOA AMAGURI!" Val practically screamed. "OMG! I AM, LIKE, YOUR BIGGEST FAN!"

"Shh, shh!" hissed Cocoa. "I'm... trying to be incognito here."

A few people had glanced their direction but, thankfully for Cocoa, they didn't really pay attention Val's screaming at the top of her lungs. Cocoa sighed in relief and pushed up her shades.

"I am seriously your biggest fan, no joke," Val proclaimed. "I am absolutely in _love_ with all your songs." She bit her lip. "Do you think... you could come take a selfie with me?" The former-demon pulled out her cute phone and grinned cheesily.

"Sure," said Cocoa. "But please make it quick. I'm supposed to be meeting someone today."

"Right!" Val re-positioned her camera so that she could capture both Cocoa and herself in the frame. "Say cheese!"

Right then, Yumi's spell took effect. Cocoa's eyes widened as she saw Val's red wig fall off her head through the phone. It seemed to all happen in slow motion. Just as Val finished saying "cheese" the entire hairpiece flew off as if it were possessed.

Yumi snickered.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH-"

* * *

"-AAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" A female shriek made three saiyans wince as they walked through the mall in search for a martial arts store.

"What the fuck?" Caulifla exclaimed, rubbing her ringing ears. "What kind of demon would make such a noise?!" If only she knew.

"It sounded like a thousand souls being tortured," Cabba muttered. "Man. This mall is pretty crazy."

Luckily, they were saved from having to wander anymore when a martial arts shop appeared on the horizon. Inside, racks of gis were displayed along with all sorts of other merchandise like weights and softwood for breaking. The fat man at the counter was watching something on his phone and didn't look up as the saiyans entered the store.

"Smash his ass Goku!" the fat man quietly cheered as he followed the fight between Goku and Freeza on Namek on Z-Tube. "Kamehameha!"

Caulifla paid no attention to the guy manning the counter, choosing instead to twirl a 60 kilo weight between her fingers. She spun it on one finger like one would do with a basketball, her eyes bored. _Of course Cabba wanted to come here... But seriously, what's so great about it._ She started punting the weight up in the air with her feet.

"This is so cool!" Cabba cried as he examined a black gi with white kanji on the fabric, ignoring the stack of Dragon Ball Movies the store was selling. "What do you think, Kale?"

Kale smiled up at him. "You look really nice, Cabba. Are you going to buy it?"

"Probably. Do you think Vegeta would approve?"

"Why do you care what he thinks, Cabba?" asked Caulifla as she walked up to them, using her chi to make an invisible cushion that bounced several heavy weights up at down. It circled around her like a halo.

"I have lots of respect for Master Vegeta," Cabba answered without hesitation. "I can learn so much from him. He is powerful and good-hearted, even if he may seem rough around the edges at times."

"Hn. For your sake, I hope your mentor doesn't drop you because his wife doesn't approve."

"Huh? Caulifla, what are you talking about -"

"YEAAAHH!" A blonde man suddenly appeared out of nowhere and hooked his beefy arm around Cabba's smaller shoulders. "How's it doing, folks? Anything I can help you with?" He flexed his muscles, which were quite impressive by human standards. "The name's Sharpner and I'm the local fighting guru around this place." He pointed too the tag pinned on his uniform, which indeed read "Sharpner". "If you need to know anything about martial arts, just come to me! I'm your man."

 _... What a bonehead,_ thought Caulifla, looking strangely at Sharpner. She prodded his power level. _Weak too. He's barely in the fifties if you put numbers to it. And he claims to know everything martial arts?_ The weights she juggled collapsed around her as she became increasingly displeased by Sharpner. The bonehead didn't even notice when the metal discs went crashing onto the floor.

"That's one of our real popular ones," Sharpner was saying, referring to the black gi that Cabba held. "It comes with an undershirt too. I understand if someone as scrawny as you won't wanna show off your... nonexistent pecs."

Cabba's visage twisted into a glare as the wound to his saiyan pride burned. But what could he do? Bulma had specifically told them not to hurt any humans or else there'd be dire consequences. To add to it, Kale was watching too! _What would Vegeta do?_ Cabba grabbed Sharpner's shirt, his face unchanging as he did so.

The beefy man yelped as he was pulled. "H-hey man, what the hell?!"

"Don't ever talk to me like that again," Cabba said darkly. "Respect your superiors, weakling." With that, he tossed Sharpner onto the ground, indifferent to his pain filled wince.

Caulifla burst out laughing. "About time you grew a backbone, Cabba!" She elbowed Kale gently. "What do you think, Kale? You impressed?"

"O-oh, umm... Very! You sure showed him, Cabba," Kale praised, her cheeks blushing red.

Cabba rubbed the back of his head, flustered by her praise. "Haha, thanks..."

Caulifla couldn't help but smile to herself as she watched their bashful interactions. If Kale had been anyone else, she would have told Cabba to screw her and get it over and done with. But this was different. This was _Kale._ It was then, she realized, that they were the perfect complement for one another. She found it admirable how protective Cabba was over Kale and it frustrated her that Kale was so oblivious to the affection behind Cabba's actions. _If only I could give her some kind of push..._ If she pushed too hard, Kale would crumble. If she pushed too lightly, Kale wouldn't feel it at all. _Damn it..._

"We'll just get these, thanks," Cabba told the man, handing the cashier about fifteen versions of the same black gi.

The man blinked before adjusting his glasses. "Ah, r-right..."

As the shopkeeper scanned Cabba's purchase, Sharpner staggered to his feet, staring wide-eyed at the customers. _H-how are they so powerful? I don't understand... I've trained for over eight years at Mr Satan's gym. Not even Joe could touch me. So what the hell are they?!_ He tried to rub the pain out of his arm as he cautiously approached Cabba. "H-hey man, I'm sorry for insultin' you earlier..." He held out his hand, wincing as he imagined Cabba breaking it. "Truce?" Sharpner blinked in surprise as he felt Cabba's smaller hand wrap around his.

"Truce."

Sharpner broke out into a grin. "Awesome!" _Phew!_ "I gotta ask, though, how are you so strong? I've trained for years at Hercule Satan's gym. You shouldn't be able to put me down with one blow." _I wouldn't even call it a blow... more like he picked me up and threw me to the ground like I was nothing!_ His face grew heated at that memory.

"Sorry, did you say Hercule Satan?" another voice spoke up.

Sharpner turned to look at Kale, whose eyes were growing increasingly fearful. "Uhh, yeah. You know, Mr Satan. The strongest man in the world? Videl's pop?" he added in the hopes that the females might be fans of Videl.

"Doesn't ring a bell," Caulifla said flatly, crossing her arms over her chest. "Who the hell is Mr Satan?" _And how can he possibly be the strongest man in the world? The strongest power level I've ever felt on earth is Goku's._ Of course, there was the possibility that Hercule was hiding his power level like the rest of the Z Senshi. _That's probably it... So why has Goku never introduced me to this fighter? The fucking bastard..._ Her fists balled up as she thought of him. _Son Goku, you are a coward..._

Cabba glanced at Kale in concern. "Kale, what's wrong?"

His voice snapped Caulifla out of her thoughts. "Kale, tell us," she ordered sternly.

* * *

 _A bunch of more drunks stumbled down the walkway, seeing the man grab Kale. One of them wolf whistled while another called out, "Share her with us, buddy!" They all wandered over as if they were one single entity, their hands outstretched, prepared to roam every nook and cranny of her body._

 _"Please don't!" Kale pleaded, gently pushing them away. They were all weaklings and she could easily overpower all of them but she didn't want to resort to unnecessary violence. But it didn't look like they were going to relent. She put up her arms in a small stance, ready to defend herself._

 _The men guffawed, pointing and sneering at her. One of them stepped up. "Stupid bitch! There's lots of us and one of you." He directed a thumb toward his chest. "And I've been trained by the champ himself, Hercule Satan!"_

 _"Haha, yeah!"_

 _"You tell her, Joe!"_

 _"Don't be too rough with her... save it for the bedroom instead!"_

 _"Be a pal - save some for me!"_

* * *

"Hercule Satan is an evil man!" burst out Kale, tears lining her eyes.

"What!" cried Sharpner, shocked at her outburst. "How could you say that? Mr Satan saved us from Cell _and_ Majin Boo! You should be more grateful -"

"Shut up," snapped Caulifla, silencing him. "One more fucking word and you're dead." Her voice softened as she addressed Kale. "Why is Hercule Satan an evil man, Kale? What did he do?"

Sharpner looked very much like he wanted to protest but kept his mouth shut. That woman... she had a killer intent in her eyes. She wasn't afraid to go through with her threat, he realized. _Eresa will be pissed if I die without saying goodbye to her,_ he thought, the angry visage of his wife of two years flashing through his mind.

Through her sobs, Kale told her about what Joe had proclaimed - that he had trained under Hercule Satan. "If this is the kind of training Hercule Satan imposes on his students, then he's not a good man at all!" bawled Kale.

"The fucking bastard," snarled Caulifla. "Where is this Hercule Satan? I don't care if he's the strongest in the world, I will hunt him down myself." _He must be human. He's got no chance against me, even if being the strongest means he's stronger than Kuririn._

Sharpner couldn't keep it in anymore. "No, no! You've got the wrong idea." Caulifla and Cabba sent him an icy glare but he soldiered on. "Hercule Satan is a good man. It's a misunderstanding. I know the guy you're talking about. He's a total scumbag and only uses martial arts to pick up girls." He looked down at the ground in anger. "I didn't realize he'd be willing to go so far to get what he wants...!"

"He is a pig," growled Cabba. "Scum of the earth."

During all this, the fat cashier had been awkwardly observing the scene that had unfolded before him. He held up the bag. "Uhh, hey man. I finished scanning everything. It totals to three thousand zeni. Cash or card?"

"Oh, um, right," said Cabba. "Sorry about that. People like Joe just make me sick..." He flipped through his wallet before handing the cashier the appropriate amount.

"Have a good day!" called the cashier as they left the store and Sharpner behind.

Sharpner shook his head. _Man oh man... This has been one weird day._

* * *

Gohan checked his watch and sighed, flipping through the menu with a bored expression. He had already ordered five different main courses while waiting for someone. Who was late. And being a professor, Gohan didn't like tardiness. Gohan had just finished ordering a basket of large fries for himself when a woman with chestnut brown hair sat down opposite him.

Cocoa Amaguri beamed at him. "Yo, Gohan! Long time no see. Sorry I'm late, you'd never believe what I had to go through..."

"It's okay, Cocoa," Gohan said politely. "How have you been?"

"Oh, you know, so and so..."

Though Cocoa and Barry had caused a small rift between Videl and Gohan, both of them had forgiven Cocoa for her actions. They were now good friends who met up quite frequently - just last week, Videl and gone to the spa with Cocoa and spent the entire day with her. Naturally, Videl was completely okay with Gohan wanting to spend time with the pop idol without her. There was a rare trust between them, something that Cocoa and Barry could never break.

"What about you Gohan?" asked Cocoa when she finished talking about how her parents were vacationing on a remote island somewhere. "How have your folks been?"

When she asked this, Gohan had to sigh. He removed his glasses and set them on the table. "Honestly? I don't think everything's been so great."

"Oh, why's that? I'll have a chocolate malt please," Cocoa said to the waiter that had just approached them, having seen Cocoa arrive.

"G-guah!" choked the waiter. "Y-you're Cocoa -"

"Shh..." Cocoa shushed him, placing a slender finger over her plump lips. "Please don't tell!"

"R-right!"

As the waiter hurried away, Cocoa turned back to Gohan. "Sorry about that. I swear, I can't go around without anyone mobbing me or giving me away sometimes."

"It's a real shame." Gohan nodded.

"Mm... Anyway, so what's happening at home?" Her brows knitted as she looked at him with concern. "You can tell me, Gohan. I have a feeling that that's what you wanted to talk about anyway."

"Are you sure?" He tapped his fingers on the metal table, giving away his discomfort. "I don't want to burden you with anything."

"Gohan, seriously, it's fine. Talking about it to someone else always makes you feel better. It's like sharing your troubles. Trust me, Gohan, it's no burden."

"Well, alright." He waited for the flustered waiter to put down his large fries and Cocoa's milkshake before continuing. "Ever since we got back from the tournament, Mom and Dad have had some... problems."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Slow down. Tournament?"

 _Crapbaskets!_ Gohan cursed. "Y-yeah, a tournament. Just a friendly one. Anyway, my dad was competing and he met this other woman there. Dad went on to win the entire tournament and that woman, her name's Caulifla, asked dad to train him. Naturally, he agreed. I don't know why but Caulifla somehow forced them apart." He really was clueless to how that had happened. Being a university professor and living in Herculopolis with a young wife and daughter took a toll on him; the price he had to pay was less frequent visits to his parents' house. There were papers to grade, students to lecture, a family to look after... Before the party, he hadn't seen them since Caulifla made her first appearance in Universe 7 to challenge Goku to a rematch.

Cocoa shook her head in sympathy. "That doesn't sound good. No offence Gohan, but to me, an outsider, it sounds like your dad's cheating on your mom."

"I came to that conclusion too... But why? Why would he do such a thing to mom?"

"Maybe your mom's more involved than you thought," Cocoa pointed out, stirring her milkshake. "From what I've gathered from all those romance novels I read, my guess would have to be that your mom pushed your dad away and into Caulifla's waiting arms."

Gohan massaged his temples before eating a chip. "Yeah, okay... I just hope everything gets better soon. I haven't heard from mom or dad since yesterday. Videl told me that I should let them sort things out for themselves."

"And she's right. Your parents should try to sort things out themselves first before you get involved." She smiled wistfully. "I see why you can't tear yourself away from Videl. That girl is really amazing. No wonder my charm didn't work on you."

Gohan laughed genuinely for the first time that day. "Aww, it worked a little. But not enough, I'm afraid. Sorry about that."

"It's all good, Gohan. Trust me, you'd be even more sorry if you had gone all the way with me. It was just a kiss."

The rest of the afternoon was spent in bliss.

* * *

"Dry your tears, Kale," Caulifla ordered gently. "Crying really doesn't suit you." She wiped away Kale's tears with her sleeve, which she rolled down. "See? You look so much better."

Kale sniffed. "T-thanks, sis... I'm sorry for crying... I'm just... I'm just -"

"Shh. No more 'I'm just', Kale," Cabba said, remembering how much Caulifla hated it when Kale said "I'm just". "You're an amazing woman. It's not your fault bastards like Joe can't recognize it." He hugged her tightly, not even caring about how she would think of him. It was like an instinct now. Cabba had always had the instinct to protect, but this was different. More powerful. Even... sensual, in a way.

"I'm hungry," Caulifla declared, hoping to distract Kale from crying with food. Like all saiyans, Kale loved food. "Can we go grab a bite?"

"Oh, of course!" said Cabba. "I think they have a Hopdoddy's here!"

As the saiyans sought out the food court, a humiliated and red-faced Val Megumi exited the bathroom with her sister in tow, the latter trying extremely hard not to laugh. It had taken over half an hour for Val to catch her flying wig. All around them, people had been laughing and pointing at the bald woman running like a maniac after a floating hairpiece. Yumi had laughed with them.

 _That was so genius!_ Yumi praised herself. _It serves her right for being such a party pooper all the time._

"I can't believe this," Val half-sobbed as she adjusted her wig to make sure that it was nice and snug. "And right when I was about to take such a cute selfie with Cocoa...! Why does this keep happening to me?!"

Yumi smirked at her but kept quiet, enjoying the sight of her mess of an older sister.

"I want some Hopdoddy's," whined Val. "I'm sooo hungry after all that running."

"I want to go to Candyland," piped Yumi. "Please, Val? You can pick me up afterward." She pointed to Candyland, which wasn't too far away.

"Uggh, fine. But don't you dare go anywhere else, you little brat. Mommy and daddy will kill me if I lose you!"

As Val marched off to get her burger, Yumi smirked gleefully. _Oh this is just too perfect. I'd better get working on the Flying Wig... Reprise!_

* * *

 _ **A/N: I'm going to end it here. This is just part one of the mall date. We'll see more next chapter~**_

 ** _Now it's time for me to shamelessly urge you to favorite and follow this story and review._**

 ** _See you next time!_**


	18. Wigs will fly

_Dear Ms. Briefs,_

 _Thank you for your generous donation. You are probably curious on what went on at Herculopolis Mall on July 23, Age 796. It will not be easy for me to explain the mysterious happenings of that day - eyewitness reports state the most bizarre things. You simply won't believe anything I say._

 _Regardless, thank you again for your generous donation. It will be a hard and gruelling task to rebuild Herculopolis Mall from scratch but the effort will be worth it in the end._

 _Yours truly, J. Timberstone_

* * *

Caulifla stood at the counter as she contemplated on what to order. The flashing menu was teasing her with its neon lights. Everything seemed so delicious... Oh well. There was no harm in getting everything on the menu seeing as there were three hungry saiyans to feed. Still, she rubbed her chin, scrutinizing the descriptions of each food item. If one sounded particularly good, then she'd order more than one of those. And of course, there was a whole variety of alcohols and desserts, but she'd come back to that later.

"Are you going to order, ma'am?" the cashier asked politely. "I recommend the Buffalo Bill. It's today's special." The woman smiled and pointed at a chalkboard, which indeed proclaimed the burger as a special.

"Yeah, I got it," Caulifla said. "I'll get three Buffalo Bills and one of everything else."

The woman faltered, her eyes bulging slightly. "I-I'm sorry, ma'am, did you say _everything else?"_

"Are you deaf or stupid? Do you have to make me repeat myself?"

"Uhh, of course not... But if you don't mind me saying, that's an awful lot of food."

"No shit."

The woman tapped in the order, looking frazzled. "Umm, it might be a long wait, especially since you want everything. Are you going to takeaway or eat here?" She glanced up expectantly at Caulifla, hoping that the saiyan would burst out laughing and tell her it was all just a joke. When Caulifla did no such thing, the cashier balked.

"Eat here," Caulifla answered, gesturing to where Cabba and Kale were sitting. "Deliver the food to that table."

The clerk ducked down before springing back up with a table number in her hand. "Y-yes, of course. This is your table number. Your order totals to four-thousand three hundred zeni. Cash or card?"

"Cash. My friend will pay after we finish eating."

The poor cashier didn't have the guts to tell Caulifla that customers normally paid _before_ the food arrived at their table. "Yes, that's fine... Have a good day, ma'am." _Please don't get me fired, please don't get me fired... Even if I hate my job..._

While Caulifla ordered, Kale and Cabba were talking amongst themselves.

"Are you okay, Kale?" asked Cabba. "I want you to be happy today. Please don't think about that dirtbag."

Kale gave him a weak smile. "I'm trying. I really am enjoying our day so far." She looked at her lap bashfully. "D-do you think we could do it again someday?"

Hope bloomed in Cabba's chest. "Yes!" he blurted, startling Kale slightly. "Sorry. I'd love to do this again with you. And, ah, maybe without Caulifla this time? I mean, I don't have anything against her, but..." _I want to spend more time with you, Kale. I love you! I think. Great. Now I'm letting my inner Lime get to me._

"I think I saw a theatre on the way down here," said Kale. "Do you think that, well, we could go and watch a movie...?" _Oh no, what if he doesn't like movies? Am I going too fast?_

"Sure! I think I saw that too. There're showing a movie about plants attacking humans I think. It'd be so interesting! Think of all the science and botany behind it..."

As Cabba rambled on about the movie, which evidently stemmed from his love of all things green and leafy, a certain wig-wearing girl walked into the restaurant, looking worse for wear.

Val sniffled as she thought about her prior humiliation. Self-consciously, she touched her wig to make sure that it was on properly. She didn't need another embarrassing situation on her hands.

"Do man-eating plants really exist?" Cabba was saying. "Do they eat women too?"

Kale had been listening up until she saw Val Megumi strut past their table without casting them a second glance. She visibly shrunk, remembering the cruel things that Val had called her that day. _Mouse. Worthless. Hentai actress._ Kale didn't understand what the last one was, but that only made her feel even worse.

"Hey, Kale?" Cabba's voice interrupted her train of thought. "Is everything okay? I'm not boring you am I?"

"No, no, please keep going," Kale said almost pleadingly. She knew that if Cabba caught sight of Val, he would completely flip. The saiyan elite held a strong grudge against the former demon and would likely, at the least, mortally wound Val if he ever noticed her.

Caulifla had just finished ordering and was turning around when someone jostled her roughly. It was a woman with wiry red hair. Caulifla scowled at her. "Watch where you're going next time."

Val Megumi looked disinterestingly at Caulifla. "Who are you supposed to be?"

"I'll be the person who teaches you your place if you ever do that again." Caulifla crossed her arms and glared icily at Val.

Val glared back at her, calculating Caulifla's cold onyx eyes, which held the same predatory ruthlessness as the irises Val saw everyday when looking into the mirror. She could tell that Caulifla was not only a hunter but also an alpha female. Beautiful, vicious and deadly. _Very_ deadly.

Nature dictated that creatures such as Val and Caulifla would inevitably fight over territory or whatnot if they were to meet. And unfortunately for almost everyone in the mall, they laid eyes on each other for the first time, sizing each other up.

"Oh?" Val said lowly. "How so? I'll have you know that my daddy's the richest man in North City. Who's your daddy?"

Caulifla blinked in confusion. _What? Is she... Is she trying to insinuate something about my father?!_ Her bewildered expression quickly morphed into an angry one.

Both Caulifla and Val were alpha females. That much was true. But they were players on totally different fields; one might as well be speaking Chinese while the other spoke Japanese. They asserted their dominance in completely different ways. It was only the matter of whose method was more effective.

"Don't you dare speak a word of my father," snarled Caulifla, a vein popping on her forehead.

Val laughed mockingly. "Ooh! Looks like _someone's_ got daddy issues!" She sneered at Caulifla, who seemed to have gone into shock. "Want a daddy tissue for your daddy issues?" She cackled again, this time at her own wit.

Caulifla wasn't even hearing Val. The woman's cutting words were vague at best; it was as if Caulifla were underwater. But despite this, she could feel a burning rage inside her. One way or another, this woman would die by her hands.

* * *

 _"Excellent, Cauli!" her father praised, blocking her tiny fists with his broad palms. "You're doing great!"_

 _Caulifla, only eight years old, grinned and wiped a drop of sweat away. "I'm just getting started!" She charged up an attack in her hands. "Take this! Crimson Vengeance!" A huge red blast with a cutting edge to it shot out of her palms._

 _The deadly beam flew straight at her father but Caulifla didn't care. This man was a fighting genius - he'd find a way to defend himself from her_ _attack._

 _"Oho! So you want to mess around with chi attacks, eh? Come at me... Destruction Wave!"_

 _A gigantic purple beam collided with Caulifla's Crimson Vengeance, causing a huge explosion. Both of them had let go of their attacks, feeling that having a beam struggle in the front yard could possibly invoke the rage of the matron of their house._

 _As if on cue, Caulifla's mother stepped out of the house. "Are you two done yet? Renso and I are waiting at the dinner table." The slender plane of her body was interrupted by a medium-sized bump on her belly._

 _"But we just started ten minutes ago!" complained Caulifla. "Can't we fight a bit longer? Pleeeeaaaseee?" She looked pleadingly at her father for help._

 _"Sorry, Cauli," her father said apologetically. "But your mother's word is law."_

 _As mates, the relationship of Garlik and Lotuce was certainly unorthodox. Lotuce dutifully manned the kitchen and did chores as every saiyan wife did, but she was a force to be reckoned with - one that didn't stand any bullshit from her mate._

 _"Aww..."_

 _As Lotuce had said, Renso was indeed waiting at the table when Garlik and Caulifla arrived. It seemed like he was having difficulty restraining himself from all the delicious foods stacked at the dining table._

 _Finally, when everyone was sitting down at ready, they all declared, "Let's eat!"_

 _Renso and Caulifla ripped into their food, putting down three plates per minute. If a human had been observing their eating it would have looked like the children were inhaling their food without stopping to chew._

 _Lotuce and Garlik were no better, eating fast as, if not faster, than their offspring. Entire roasts disappeared within minutes and soups and sauces were drained from their bowls in record time. A lovely salad that had sat in the middle of the table was now little more than a few wilted leaves._

 _Caulifla greedily reached out for the last meatball, a lumpy sphere that was almost double the size of her hand. At the same time, Renso grabbed it. The two siblings glared at each other._

 _"Hands off!" yelled Caulifla, securing her tiny fingers around the meatball. "I touched it first!"_

 _"Nuh uh! I had it first, Cauli!" Renso dug his digits into the flesh of the meatball, glaring st his little sister. "Give it to me!"_

 _"No! It's mine! I said I had it first!"_

 _"Did not!"_

 _"Did too!"_

 _"Did not!"_

 _"Did too!"_

 _"Did not!"_

 _Caulifla turned to Garlik with an angry pout. "Daaad! Renso's being a jerk again!"_

 _It was Lotuce who sighed and said, "Can't you two go a day without arguing over such trivial matters? Especially you, Renso. You're already fifteen years old! Maybe try acting like it for once."_

 _"Your mother's right," Garlik said. "Sibling rivalry is healthy, but when it gets to a point where you start fighting over meatballs..." He shook his head._

 _"Sorry," both of up the children said in unison._

 _As they did, Lotuce took the opportunity to snatch the meatball for herself, eating it in one bite and licking her lips._

 _"Mother!" Renso cried in horror, Caulifla looking equally shocked. "But why?"_

 _"You wouldn't deny a pregnant female food, would you?" Lotuce asked innocently. Her sweet tone hid something more dangerous, shutting Renso up right away, Caulifla following her brother's example. "That's better. So, how was your day, Renso dear?"_

 _"It was great," Renso told her, completely forgetting about the meatball. "The Defence Squad made me an official member today!"_

 _The Defence Squad was something that the Arcorsian Frost had started up a few years back, claiming that it was a 'prototype army' that would be trained to defend Sadala from foreign invaders. Both Garlik and Lotuce were part of it until Caulifla was born._

 _When no one around the table looked particularly happy, Renso frowned, his excitement dissipating quickly._

 _"Couldn't you have joined something else?" asked Garlik. "I'm not going to sugarcoat things for you, Renso, this is a bad idea."_

 _"I agree," added Lotuce. "The Defence Squad... It really isn't what you think it is."_

 _"Huh? What are you talking about? I... I thought you'd be proud at I want to dedicate my life to protecting the innocent, just like you guys."_

 _Lotuce looked like she was in pain when she said this, "We are proud of you, son. But we want to keep you safe at the same time. Sadala hasn't had a war in centuries, but the world is still a big place. There are more powerful saiyans out there who won't hesitate to kill you."_

 _"I know that, mother. And I'm willing to it my life on the line to protect the innocent." He suddenly stood up and saluted, a gesture which involved folding his left arm over his heart. "It's what I want to do! To dedicate my life to others!"_

 _"Sit down, please," Garlik ordered. "We'll have no army business at the dinner table, thanks."_

 _"S-sorry," mumbled Renso before taking his seat. "I got a little carried away there."_

 _"We'll support whatever decision you choose to make," Lotuce said, putting her hand on Renso's. "Just answer me this: Are you absolutely sure you want to do this?"_

 _"I do," replied Renso solemnly._

 _Lotuce sat back on her chair to make her protruding belly more comfortable. "I won't stop you. Neither will your father. Just... be careful out there, okay?"_

 _Caulifla didn't say anything, even when her father added his support. She was confused as to why Renso would want to get himself killed for other people. Didn't he have any sense of self preservation? She certainly did. She said as much, leading Renso to puff out his chest with pride, ranting on and on about the nobility of the Defence Squad. While he rambled, Lotuce and Garlik exchanged a worried look. This did not escape Caulifla's eye._

 _"May I be excused?" Renso asked. "There's a Defence Squad meeting tonight that's too vital to miss."_

 _He was allowed to leave, leaving Caulifla sitting at the table by herself while her mother and father went elsewhere, presumably to talk. She stared at the empty plates blankly. Her child's mind could not comprehend Renso's decision. If he was drafted into the military, then she would hardly ever see him again until his eventual dismissal. Suddenly, her life seemed... emptier... almost._

 _She perked up slightly when she thought of her parents. Even though Renso might not sticking around for too long, her parents would always be there for her._

 _They promised, after all._

* * *

Fast as lightning, Caulifla reached out and grabbed Val around the neck, making her squeal in surprise. Val looked up at her attacker's eyes and nearly pissed herself at what she saw.

 _Those eyes,_ thought Val. _So... so intense... and scary...!_ Her pupils dilated in fear. She had underestimated Caulifla. This woman wasn't only a predator... she was something more. Describing the raven-haired beauty as a "predator" suddenly seemed inadequate to Val. _She's a monster!_ Val squirmed in her grip, primal survival instincts swimming to the forefront of her mind. Unfortunately for her, it only made Caulifla tighten her grip, choking the human woman.

Around them, people were starting to notice the commotion. At least two people already had their phones out and were filming.

"Listen up, cunt, because I'm only going to say this once," sneered Caulifla, enunciating every single word for the sake of the crowd. "Talk about my family again and you're dead. And believe me, I can and will find you." In one ruthless move, Caulifla ripped the wig from Val's head. The girl couldn't even shriek in surprise. "It's not that hard to find a cheap, bald whore, you know." With that, the saiyan woman tossed Val onto the floor, the human girl crumpling into an undignified heap.

There was a tense silence before Val's throat recovered enough for her to scream loudly, her terror, disbelief and embarrassment all thrown into one long, drawn out holler.

Cabba and Kale, who were watching intently from their seats, covered their ears, wincing. Did all human women tend to scream this loud?!

Cabba removed his hands from the sides of his head when the piercing noise stopped. He looked at Val in satisfaction. He remembered that bitch like it was yesterday. It was a shame that Cabba hadn't gotten the chance to punish her but Caulifla had certainly done a wonderful job of it.

"Oh my god, she looks like an old man!" guffawed one girl who was wearing too much makeup. She snapped a photo of Val, who was getting shakily up on her legs. "This is so going on my lock screen!"

"I remember her," said a man, scratching his own bald head. "Wasn't she that crazy broad running around like a maniac?"

"Oh, Harry, I think you're right! She does look awfully familiar."

Val made a frustrated, incoherent noise, grabbed her wig, and stormed out of Hopdoddy's, humiliated and hurting.

During the entire Hopdoddy's fiasco, Yumi Megumi was humming happily to herself as she conjured counterfeit money and bought a fishing rod, complete with a hook and line. With her magic, she quickly assembled the rod in record time. Now she was whistling gleefully as she sauntered down the mall with a gigantic fishing rod in her hands. Her cunning mind devised a plan as she walked.

 _Let's see, in order for this to work I'm going to need to make the rod totally unnoticeable. Hmm... I can adjust its weight easypeasy and an invisibility spell should ensure that Val doesn't notice._

Yumi passed Candyland again and glanced at it longingly. Her fingers twitched around the invisible metal of the rod. _Well, I suppose one small playtime session wouldn't hurt..._ She made the fishing pole visible once more, set it down in a safe place where she could see it at all times, and trounced off to Candyland.

* * *

After she stormed off, Val immediately began plotting revenge on Caulifla. So what if the black-haired woman was stronger than her?! She wasn't about to let a Caulifla walk all over her and get away with it (though to forget the incident ever happened was probably the smarter idea).

Now, as a human, Val wasn't a killer. She was bratty, bitchy and plain old mean but she wasn't a killer. She would never stoop to taking another's life, even the one of someone as infuriating as Caulifla. It was wrong and immoral. She was human - how could she possibly take another human's life?

But a demon, on the other hand... Val chuckled darkly to herself, gazing at her palms. She had become one last time. She knew. Though her mind had barely been coherent during her rampage at Waves and Rocks Studios, she knew. She knew that she had a demon inhabiting her body. All she had to do was summon it.

So she walked around the mall, pulling as hard as she could at where she thought the demon resided - at the pit of her stomach.

Something flickered; responded.

* * *

"That was awesome," Cabba simply said as they devoured their meals. "What you did to Val, that is."

"She deserved it," grumbled Caulifla, still ticked off. She ripped into her burger, her teeth slicing through every single layer of the food without putting any effort in. "She wanted to fuck around so I taught her a lesson."

"It was satisfying," Kale agreed sotto voce. "I never even noticed that she was bald. How did that happen? The last time we saw her, she had a head full of lovely hair."

"We probably burned it off when we threw that final attack at her," Cabba suggested, sipping his soda with a loud slurp, causing people around them to glare. It was bad enough they had to witness three saiyans eating!

Caulifla observed them quietly. Obviously she was missing something here, but that would only be temporary. Kale and Cabba had told her of their earthly adventures the night they reunited so she only had to connect the dots.

"Was she that demon bitch?" Caulifla mused casually, leaning back on her seat. "The one at the studio?"

"Yeah," said Cabba. "She..." He clenched his fists tightly. "She called Kale a lot of things. I hate her for it. And then on top of that she hurt her too... That was when I went super saiyan two." He looked down at his knuckles, which were turning white. "I haven't turned super saiyan two since, actually, not even while training with Master Vegeta."

"Tch," scoffed Caulifla. "Now I'm wishing that I had killed her."

"She'll get what's coming to her soon," Cabba promised. "People like her always do."

Half an hour later, the saiyans finished every last crumb of their meal, paid for it, and left. They entered almost every shop, the girls especially finding shopping very enjoyable.

At first, Caulifla had been skeptical about this whole mall gig. But this, in its own odd way, was fun. It was like one massive treasure hunt with a whole lot of different outcomes. Of course, it wasn't as enjoyable as fighting which made her blood race, but it was nevertheless congenial.

There existed nothing like this on Sadala; yes there were stores but everyone would just go in, grab something, and go out. There were enemies to fight, families to feed and money to make. No one had time for something as frivolous as window shopping. Caulifla felt a jolt in her heart as she thought of her home planet. There would be no more training with Goku. That was that. He had been her only option; if she trained under a Vegeta, they would only end up killing each other and the other washed up fighters didn't suit her style.

She estimated the time it would take for Cabba to complete his training. One month, two months? Vegeta didn't seem like to kind of guy to formally train anyone for any longer.

She had made her decision.

Once Cabba's training was complete, she would return home. Sadala called for her. And she was going to answer it.

Meanwhile, at Candyland, Yumi was showing off her powers to a small child by levitating his teddy bear when she heard a demon calling.

Or more specifically, her sister, Val.

Yumi dropped the teddy bear and turned to Val, who had an ugly scowl on her face. "What do you want?"

"Nothing!" snapped Val. "I just want to see things that make me mad."

"Umm, okay..."

As soon as Val left, disappearing into the crowd, Yumi caught sight of the most beautiful person she had ever seen. Seeing his face made her heart ache but she continued to stare at him anyway. Just outside the entrance of Candyland, Cabba was helping Kale up, the girl having been knocked over by a burly man while distracted by something. Caulifla had given the offender a good talking to, and the man had begged for forgiveness before shuffling away.

"He's soo dreamy," sighed Yumi, peeking at the scene beneath hooded eyelids. "If only he were mine." Unfortunately for her, she couldn't forcefully make Cabba fall in love with her; no such spell existed.

She was still cooing over the saiyan when she was suddenly reminded of why she had a love/hate relationship when it came to Cabba. She gritted her teeth in anger. _That jerk! I bet if I were a little older, he'd be all over me._ If one squinted hard enough, they could quite possibly see a lightbulb appearing over Yumi's head. "That's it!" she said aloud. "I know just the spell."

While Yumi was working on her spell, Val was stalking the shopping centre, trying to summon her inner demon. If someone were to stop and observe her, they would come to the conclusion that she was constipated. The woman was looking for things that displeased and enraged her so that she could become angry enough to morph into a demon. Nothing had worked so farm, even though she had thrown multiple temper tantrums over green sweaters with brown stripes and plastic heels. And then there had been this one idiotic lady who had thought that it was actually _okay_ to combine a flare dress with spaghetti straps. To Val, that was a fashion felony worthy of up to fifty years in prison!

"Grr... Why isn't it working?!"

She decided to enter Candyland again to look at her little sister's infuriating face when she ran right into Cabba and Kale. Caulifla had chosen to leave the duo a moment ago in favour of the bathroom. Of course, it was just another ploy of hers to get them together faster.

Val remembered them vividly, especially Kale. She didn't know why, but she suddenly felt the urge to blame the saiyan pair on her missing hair. They were the last thing she had saw when everything went black and she woke up in hospital as bald as a baby, save for a few patches of fuzz here and there. The hospital windows had never been the same after her imitation of a fat lady's soprano.

"You," spat Cabba. The amount of venom injected into his words stunned Val slightly. So she did what she thought was best. Ignore him and bully Kale instead.

"Well, well, if it isn't the mousy slut," Val sneered at the cowering Kale, totally oblivious to Cabba's growing anger.

* * *

"Well, well, if it isn't the mousy slut," Cabba heard Val say. As soon as those vicious words exited from her mouth, it was as if Cabba had been cut off from reality.

Up until this point, there had only been two times where Cabba had felt so overwhelmed with rage. Sure he had been mad when Val struck Kale while the former was in her demon form, but to see Val actually call Kale such a thing... Cabba was pissed.

The first time Cabba had felt such a powerful fury was when his strict governess had struck his baby sister for being disobedient. The governess' rings had left a deep scar on her cheek. It'd been his parents who had amended that; they were higherborn saiyans and hpthe governess had been punished and dismissed.

The second time was when Vegeta had threatened his family to trigger Cabba into becoming a super saiyan. In the end, everything had worked out.

But this... This third time... Was yet to be resolved.

"Don't call me that."

Cabba and Val froze.

Kale looked up, tears in her eyes. "Don't call me that!"

Val was the first to recover. "Oh yeah? What are you going to do about it?"

Shy and frail she may be, but at the end of the day, Kale was still a saiyan. And saiyans, no matter what universe they came from, were notoriously prideful beings. Despite her weak nature, Kale had pride. That pride had been violated; slashed and ripped at; and she had had enough.

 _No more crying! No more tears. Caulifla said so! And Cabba... He said I was amazing... If someone else can see it, why can't I?!_ Though her words were strong, tears still escaped her grey orbs. _I hate myself! I hate... I hate who I am!_

To Val, it looked like that she had won. The shy girl seemed as if she were on the verge of a tearful breakdown. Twin trails of wetness were already slipping down her face and pooling at her chin. She opened he mouth, ready to demean the girl further when she was knocked away by a burst of aura.

Kale cried as she transformed into her berserker state. Her muscles bulked, her eyes whitened and her hair, now green, spiked up.

"Kale!" cried Cabba as the girl roared. People everywhere were running and screaming at the sight of her. "Kale, calm down! Come back to me, Kale!"

Caulifla was suddenly there, back from the bathroom. "Cabba! What the hell happened?,"

"No time to explain," Cabba said, powering up into super saiyan. "She's not in control of this form! We have to stop her before she hurts any innocent people!" He had to admit though, he wouldn't be very sad if Val were to die because of Kale's rampage.

Kale bellowed out a battle cry, the sound resonating throughout the mall. "VAL...!"

The girl in question was cowering behind a rubbish bin, her eyes wide with fear in disbelief. The amount of fear she was feeling suddenly plunged down deep into the pit of her stomach as Kale looked at her with killer intent. And she thought Caulifla was scary! This... This was beyond anything she had ever felt before. So much fear... So much fear...

She blacked out, her eyes rolling to the back of her head as she collapsed.

Suddenly, Val's body began rising into the air, glowing slightly before being engulfed in a black flame.

"Don't tell me," muttered Cabba, his eyes darting between Kale and the transforming Val.

Val the demon hissed as it made its reappearance; letting out an unearthly wail that could have shattered eardrums if people weren't careful.

"Foolish mortal!" boomed Val, charging up a fire attack in her hands. "I am far more powerful than last time! In my slumber, I was blessed by my Lady; the demon Towa! I will finally defeat you!" She pointed a clawed finger at Cabba and Caulifla. "And then your little friends too!" The fireball was hurled at the saiyans, but, thinking quickly, Caulifla managed to change its trajectory but kicking it upward through the ceiling and into space.

"She's certainly more powerful than last time," Cabba acknowledged grimly. "We may need to get serious with her."

A roar by Kale reminded everyone of her presence. The Legendary Super Saiyan of Universe 6 charged at Val, attacking viciously. But the demon gracefully dodged her blows and hen summoned a staff to whack Kale on the head.

"Now, now," said Val. "That wouldn't be very nice, now would it? You've already caused me enough trouble, you transgender whore. Take this! Judgement Blade!" A huge blast enveloped Kale, sending her spiralling downward. Her bulky mass slammed into the floor, creating a medium-sized crater.

"I'll kill you!" declared Kale, flying back up unharmed and smashing her fist into Val's gut. "I'll kill you!"

And then the mall exploded.

* * *

 _Boom._

 _Boom._

 _BOOM!_

"Ugghh, my head," growled Caulifla. "Now what's happened?" She looked around, eyes widening when she realized that, somehow, the entire mall had been levelled. Cars and even bodies lay strewn on the boulevard, damaged or killed by flying debris from the explosion.

Cabba emerged nearby, rubble moving as he stood up. "Caulifla, are you okay?"

"I'm fine. But how could they have destroyed the entire place? The fight had hardly started."

Caulifla and Cabba had been about to intervene when they suddenly found themselves being involuntarily flung into the air and buried under tons of debris. Twisted metal skeletons were tossed promiscuously everywhere, some heaped in small recesses; the same could be said for brick and mortar.

"Where's Kale and the demon bitch?" Caulifla wondered aloud, throwing her chi senses out into the area.

Her question was answered when they both appeared again, circling each other in the air with powerful scowls on their faces.

It looked like they were about to start fighting again. But then;

"YOOHOO! OVER HEEEREE!"

Cabba gaped.

Caulifla stared.

Kale bellowed.

And Val snarled.

Caulifla stared up at the towering figure in disbelief. _How did I miss that before?! Wait... she's not emitting any chi. It's like her life energy is being masked by something else._

It was Cabba who was the most shocked. This was the most shocking shock that topped all shocks. It had been shocking to have Val become a demon once more. It had been shocking for him to watch his girlfriend (wait, did he just admit to her being his girlfriend?) being humiliated to the point of transforming and him doing nothing about it. But the shock that topped all shocks...

Was seeing Yumi Megumi's gigantic face looming over him.

Welcome to hell, Cabba.

* * *

 ** _A/N: This is taking longer than I expected. There will be a final part to the mall date, which is next chapter. And then there will be a time skip... during which we get to see more of Universe 6._**

 ** _Please review! I love getting them~_**


	19. Wigs are last season

"YOOHOO! OVER HEEEREE!" boomed Yumi, standing up to her full height.

"Y-you!" spluttered Cabba. "Y-you're that girl!" _The one that tried to molest me!_

Yumi, slightly miffed at being referred to as 'that girl' huffed and folded her arms. She was now a giant standing at an impressive height of fifty feet, having somehow botched her spell of instantaneously maturing. It was her sudden growth spurt that had caused the entire mall to explode - it simply couldn't confine someone of her caliber of size. _I knew I should have brought my spell book. My memory's no good. Oh well. I'll just have to make do with this instead!_

Val the demon floated up to Yumi's eye level. "You! What the hell have you done to yourself?!"

"VAL!" bellowed Kale. "OUR FIGHT IS HERE!" Without waiting for a response, Kale's gigantic fist pummeled Val into the ground, sending concrete flying into the air.

Caulifla turned to Cabba. "Mind telling me what the _hell_ is going on here?" _This day keeps getting crazier and crazier. It's like we're in a fucking fanfiction or something! How ludicrous..._

"It's a really long story," said Cabba. "To put it in short, she won't leave me alone!"

Val chuffed a laugh at Cabba's despair as she removed herself from the rubble. "Foolish mortal. You have yet to see the true extent of my sister's bratiness. Honestly, I would actually feel sorry for you if I cared..." A black fire engulfed her as she powered up. "Maybe if I'm feeling kind I will rid her for you _before_ I kill you. But right now, I'm going to tear this titanic bitch apart!" She pointed at Kale, whose face was twisted in a perpetual snarl.

Cabba rushed to jump in but Caulifla stopped him with one arm. "Don't," she said, gazing intently at the fight. "Sometimes, only a battle can resolve things. Don't get in the way." _I'll finally see how far you've come, Kale... That demon is certainly powerful enough to pose a challenge._ She crossed her arms and smirked. _Good luck, Kale! You are my protégée. You can do it._

"Cabba!" trilled Yumi, fluttering her eyes. "What do you think of me now, Cabba?" _Notice me, senpai!_

"You look great," Cabba offered lamely. "Please leave me alone..." he mumbled under his breath.

"Only great?" Yumi shamelessly fished for compliments. "What about astounding? Cute? Marvellous? Hot!? Sexy?!" Her face blushed a beet red as she said those last two words.

Cabba sweatdropped. The Megumi girl looked exactly the same: flat as a board and about as curvy as the aforementioned board. The only difference was that now she towered over almost everything in Herculopolis, including Satan Tower, which was the tallest building in the city.

Caulifla elbowed Cabba. "Well? Tell the girl what you think."

"Ehh?!" Cabba gaped at his fellow saiyan. "Why are you throwing me under the Laggerwomp?!"

"Just settle whatever business you have with her and we can all be done with it. Then we'll have one less thing to worry about." She cast a glance at Val and Kale, who were matching each other blow for blow. Each of their attacks caused sound waves to ripple in the air before disspitsting.

"I was very sad when you ran away from me last time," Yumi said, clasping her hands together and looking down pleadingly at Cabba. "It was because I was too young, wasn't it? But look at me now, Cabba! I've grown! Now will you love me?"

 _No!_ Cabba wanted to scream. _Hell no! I'd rather die and go to heaven than be condemned in hell for being a pedophile!_ It insteasd, he just spluttered, "Y-yeah... Uuhh... You look... Good. But about the love bit," he paused, "I already have a girlfriend."

Yumi's face fell. "W-what? I don't understand."

Caulifla pinched the bridge of her nose. _Cabba, you have absolutely no tact._

"Im sorry!" cried Cabba. "But I don't like you in that manner. Not now, not ever!"

Caulifla facepalmed. _... Why do I get the feeling that this guy has never been laid before? Cabba, you are an idiot. Period._

Val was about to hurl a deadly-looking fireball at Kale when her sharp demon eyes caught the trembling movement of Yumi's lips. She grimaced. This would not end well at all, not for her, not for anyone. Unlike the human she was inhabiting, the demon understood what kind of being Yumi was: a witch. And from what she was sensing, Yumi was a very, very powerful witch indeed. _My sister - her sister - is about to blow. And it's not going to be pretty._

While the demon was distracted, Kale punched her in the gut, causing Val to cough up phlegm. The demon glared up at Kale. "Hrrkk... You will pay for that, simpleton!" She grabbed Kale's bulky arm and threw her into a neighbouring skyscraper, making the structure collapse. "Never interrupt a villain during her internal monologue!" Val launched a few more blazing balls of ebony flame at the fallen saiyan for extra measure.

Caulifla was observing their fight out of the corner of her eye before Kale's descent caught her full attention. Those attacks wouldn't keep Kale down for long. As if on cue, Kale emerged from the rubble with a flourish to engage Val in battle once more. Caulifla couldn't help but notice that the demon was fighting more sloppily. _It's like she's distracted. But by what?_ As she thought about it more, she slowly reached an epiphany. She whipped around just as the first bout of tears made their way down the massive cheeks of the giant Yumi.

"WHHHYYYYYYYYY!" Yumi shrieked at the top of her lungs. She started to stamp her foot on the ground in what could only be described as an extreme temper tantrum. "WHY -" _Stomp._ "- WON'T - " _Stomp._ "- YOU -" _Stomp!_ " - LOVE MEEEE!?"

Caulifla felt and probably looked like she was performing a one-man fandango as the shockwaves from Yumi's titanic foot hitting the earth bounced her around. Grumbling, the saiyan took to the skies. "She's literally a giant fucking baby."

"You see?!" shouted Cabba, floating next to her. "This is why talking things out was a bad idea!"

"I see that now, Cabba! No need to rub it in my face! Maybe if you had been a little more assertive I would have left you alone."

"Are you kidding me? That'd just give you more reason to want to kick my ass!"

Caulifla cracked her neck and her knuckles and smirked as she beheld a weeping Yumi. "You know me too well. Now what say you about taking her down?"

"Fine. Just don't hurt her too much. Knock her unconscious and that's it."

"Hn. Anymore if that sap, and I would say that you actually care for the girl."

Cabba shot Caulifla a frosty glare. "I'm not a monster, Caulifla. I won't hurt children if I can help it. We knock her unconscious and that's final."

"Have it your way."

The two saiyans flew up to Yumi, circling around her head. Their erratic movement irritated the giant and she moved her hands up, trying to swat them away like flies. Just as Caulifla dived in for a neck chop with intent to knock the witch out, Yumi formed a magical barrier around her body, absorbing Caulifla's attack.

Yumi growled in anger and released a bolt of magic from her hands. The attack missed Cabba and Caulifla but hit the Main Street. At once, three things happened: the water main burst and water started spraying everywhere, a gas explosion occurred and lightning fell from the sky.

"A fire, a flood and an electrical storm!" exclaimed a Jehovah's Witness that was observing the fight. "That's so Old Testament!"

"Harry, please. Let's just run for our lives already."

"Now, now, Linda dear. Everything will be fine. God is watching over us!"

Little did they know, Dende was busy trying to calm a hurricane approaching Papaya Island.

Half-mad with rage, Yumi furiously cast a spell on the Hercule statue in the boulevard, which, miraculously, was unscathed by the ongoing battles. "Come forth my loyal servant!" chanted Yumi, raising her hands in one swift motion. "Arise for your mistress and destroy these little pests!"

"Crap!" hissed Cabba. "That barrier of hers just keeps absorbing our attacks." He glanced at Caulifla. "What should we do now?"

"What do you think?" snorted Caulifla. "We just hit harder!" She flew toward Yumi at Mach 1 speeds. "Hrraahh!" With one swipe of her arm, she shattered Yumi's protective shield. The pieces fell onto the ground before disappearing with a hiss and a pop. _Now!_ Caulifla drove her elbow into the nape of Yumi's neck. The strike was hard enough to render the child unconscious.

Yumi's eyes flitted as she started to black out. _I-I failed...?_ was her last thought before she fell forward, her shadow stretching over a large portion of the city.

Cabba's eyes widened as Yumi fell toward him. "Oh crapbaskets."

* * *

Kale roared in triumph as she sent Val spiralling into the ground, shattering the roads of Herculopolis.

The demon snarled and rocketed toward Kale at inhuman speeds and the two traded blows once again. Now that Yumi was down, Val could fully focus on beating the crap out of Kale before she eviscerated her.

There was a resounding noise as Yumi seemingly flattened a quarter of the city. But if one peered closely enough, they could see a super saiyan Cabba holding up Yumi with both arms. Once Yumi was completely out cold, her body began to shrink until she was back to her original size.

"My head..." whined Yumi as she started to come to. When she saw Cabba holding her bridal style, she beamed happily. "Oh Cabba! You saved me! My hero!" She sat up and hugged him tightly, making the saiyan choke on his own saliva. Luckily, Yumi didn't get to go any further before slipping back into unconsciousness.

"Are all the humans this crazy?" Cabba wondered aloud, oblivious to Kale, who had seen the whole thing unfold.

"Maybe it's a Universe 7 thing," suggested Caulifla as she touched down next to him, arms folded across her chest. "Speaking of Universe 7... I just realised something." She frowned. "Why do Goku and Vegeta live on earth? What happened to their planet?"

"I believe Master Vegeta once told me that it blew up," supplied a Cabba. "By a demon named Freeza."

"Freeza," muttered Caulifla. Gold and purple flashed through her mind's eye. "Hmm." _Was he a competitor in the tournament?_

Before she could think of anything else about the Arcorsian, Kale let out a battle cry fiercer and louder than any other Caulifla had ever heard. The Legendary Super Saiyan threw herself at Val and began to pummel the demon mercilessly.

 _She's overpowering the demon,_ Caulifla realized. Judging by the look on Cabba's face, he had come to the same conclusion. _They were just about even before. Where did this sudden power boost come from?_

* * *

Cocoa Amaguri blinked her eyes open. The first thing she saw was Gohan's worried face peering at her. She sat up. "What happened?!"

"I don't know," Gohan said grimly. "But I intend to find out." As soon as the mall had caved in on itself, Gohan had taken it upon himself to protect Cocoa from harm. Thankfully he had succeeded; the worst Cocoa had taken was a small scratch on her otherwise flawless cheek.

Sounds of battle made their way to Gohan and Cocoa. The latter stood up on shaky legs. "Are you going to fight?" Cocoa asked worriedly.

"Of course," Gohan replied. "It's my duty as a protector of the earth." He hoisted Cocoa up on his shoulder and flew her far away from the fighting. "Stay here, okay? I don't want you getting hurt."

"Gohan!" cried Cocoa. "Are you going to be okay?"

Gohan gave the pop idol a reassuring thumbs up. "The Great Saiyaman fights for justice!" He did a few of his infamous Saiyaman poses hastily, making Cocoa giggle slightly. "And justice will always prevail!" With that, he launched himself across the city where the battle between Kale and Val was happening, nothing but a dot in the sky to Cocoa within a few seconds.

Cocoa wringed her hands together, concerned for the wellbeing of her friend. "Good luck, Gohan," she murmured. "You can do it!"

Gohan was seeing two warriors fighting in the air when a golden fist punched him in the face, sending him sprawling backward. "What the heck? What was that?" He hadn't felt any kind of chi signature around that was strong enough to deal him a punch that actually hurt. Val and Kale were still occupied with one another while Cabba and Caulifla watched, alert in their super saiyan forms.

He felt movement behind him and instantly spun around, expertly blocking Hercule Satan's fist from smashing into the back of his head. Gohan blinked in surprise. "Hercule?!"

Hercule floated backward with a smug smile on his face. "That's right, punk! It's me, the great Hercule Satan! The champion of the world who defeated Cell when all those other tricksters couldn't!"

Gohan scratched his head. "Uhh, are you okay there, Mr Satan? And when did you learn how to fly? Has Videl been teaching you?"

"Don't talk about my daughter so casually!" snapped Hercule. "You want to date her, don't you?! Well guess what, ya wuss! She's only allowed to date anyone that's stronger than me! And unfortunately for you, no one like that exists!"

Gohan sweatdropped and Hercule's behaviour. _Should I remind him that Videl and I have been married for three years?_ From what his chi senses were telling him, Hercule Satan was not Hercule Satan at all but Gohan had decided to humor the imposter for a bit. Whatever was shouting at him about his daughter's virginity (or lack of thereof as Gohan knew) was not the proclaimed champion of the world. "Alright, listen up," Gohan said in his 'hero' voice. "Who the hell do you think you are? Hercule's not the brightest guy around by even he wouldn't forget that Videl and I are _married_ with a daughter."

"Lies!" cried the Hercule imposter. When Gohan didn't budge, he chuckled. "You're pretty sharp, kid." A metallic golden sheen enveloped the man and he grew several feet. "You may know me as the once not-alive statue in front of Herculopolis Mall. But my kind mistress has given life to me and I intend to destroy you to protect my mistress!" The statue bowed dramatically before placing his arms akimbo. "You may call me the Golden Warrior!"

"Oh? And how are you going to do that?" Gohan smirked and got into a fighting stance. "You paint yourself gold but it really doesn't do much for you other than making you a walking target." His smirk widened. "How 'bout I show you a _real_ Golden Warrior?" With a shout, golden aura encased Gohan. _I'll take off my Saiyaman costume to give him a real scare!_ He tapped his watch and his outfit reverted to normal. Sure he was dressed like he was going to Sunday School, but his nerdy clothing did little to remove the effect of going super saiyan. _I still got it._

The living statue was blissfully unaware of the sheer power difference between him and Gohan. He waved the saiyan off flippantly. "So what, you insta-dyed your hair? Big whoop. I'm going to show you how _real_ men do it! Dynamite Kick!~"

Gohan didn't even bother to move, a layer of chi enough to absorb the impact of Statue Hercule's kick. _Yikes, he even fights like Mr Satan. Don't tell me he's going to fake a stomach ache next... Nah, that's just be retarded. Even Hercule knows better than to -_

"Ooh!" wailed Hercule, clutching his abdomen. "I-I have a stomach ache!"

Gohan fell over as much as one could when levitating in the air. He quickly recovered himself. _Are you serious?!_

"Prepare yourself!" Statue Hercule said, faking the pain in his voice. "Once I recover you won't stand a chance!"

"Hooboy..." Gohan sighed, shaking his head. "I'd better end it quickly." He flew further up, Statue Hercule looking baffled. "Sorry Hercule!" called Gohan, forming a powerful energy blast in one hand. "No hard feelings!"

"Waargh!" cried Statue Hercule. "N-now hold on a sec there. Can't we talk this out? You wouldn't hit a guy with a stomach ache would ya?"

"Nope!" replied Gohan. "But you're a statue, right? You're not supposed to feel pain!" The attack was launched and Statue Hercule couldn't move out of the way, paralysed with fear. When the light dispersed there was nothing left of Statue Hercule. "That was a nice warm up, I guess. Why did it have to be Hercule though? Man, it's gonna be awkward when the real Hercule comes over for dinner tonight..."

* * *

"Are you sure we shouldn't intervene?" Cabba asked for the umpteenth time as Kale continued to break Val's bones in what was quickly becoming a one sided fight. "I know she's evil, but come on!"

"For the last time, yes I'm sure!" snapped Caulifla. "Learn to trust my judgement, Cabba."

"She'll die," Cabba pointed out, gritting his teeth. "Do you somehow have trouble comprehending that?"

Caulifla did not reply; instead she focused on the fight in front of her, her eyes darting side to side as she followed the deft movements of Kale. _Kale... Are you really going to kill her?_ While Cabba was itching to intervene, Caulifla was taking a different approach. Kale needed to be given a chance to gain control. She grimaced. By now, she was starting to agree with a Cabba - they needed to jump in soon or else Val would be nothing more but a bloody paste on the ground.

"For fuck's sake," Caulifla muttered before shouting,"KALE! GET A GRIP ON YOURSELF! WOULD YOU REALLY FORGIVE YOURSELF IF YOU KILLED HER?!" When Kale didn't show any indication if hearing Caulifla, the latter quickly grew frustrated. _Why isn't she listening to me? This has never happened before!_ Her words were usually enough to quell Kale's rage whenever she turned into a berserker. She decided to try again, "KALE! THAT'S ENOUGH!"

Finally, Kale turned. Val was lying face down in a crater the size of three buses parked side by side, struggling to get up.

Caulifla smiled at the titanic saiyan female. "You've done so well, Kale." She flew up to her protégée cautiously and extended her hand. "I'm very proud of you."

The green aura around Kale stilled to a light glow. Slowly, Kale reached out to touch Caulifla's fingertips with her own. "C-Caulifla...?"

"That's right," Caulifla coaxed gently. "It's me, Kale. I'm right here and I'm very, _very_ proud of you. You can stop now, Kale." There was a pause. "Please?"

"Yes," Kale mumbled, her muscles starting to shrink. "Yes... I will stop..."

A black chi blast hit the side of Kale's head. Below them, Val stood on shaky legs with her arm outstretched. The demon wasn't looking to well. She was bleeding heavily all over the place and one could probably discern that she had multiple broken bones judging by the way she held herself. "Take that..." She hunched over and lurched out blood on the concrete.

Just like that, the beast within Kale was awoken once more.

"VAAALLL!" Kale squalled, her muscles filling out again as she erupted in a flame of sickly lime green.

"Shit!" Caulifla swore as Kale shoved her out of the way to get to Val. "Kale, don't -!"

There was a terrible crunching noise as Kale's fist destroyed Val.

Caulifla frowned at the scene, though she did not find the sight of Val's broken body plastered promiscuously upon the pavement the least abhorrent. At this point, she was just thankful that Yumi had not been awake to see the gruesome fate of her sister.

"No..." whispered Cabba. "... She couldn't have."

"What the hell happened?!" a new voice demanded.

Caulifla and Cabba turned around just in time to see Gohan touch down in front of them.

"Goku's first brat, right?" inquired Caulifla, tilting her head to one side in a feline manner. It felt a little strange to be calling a man that was practically her age a 'brat' and Caulifla made a mental note to avoid referring to Gohan as such.

Gohan glared at her. "Homewrecker, am I right?" he retorted shrewdly.

"Tch. To each their own."

It was Cabba who spoke next to defuse the tension in the air, years of military training coming into play. "Enough. We have other things to deal with right now. Many people have died today and we need to fix it, somehow." He glanced sorrowfully at the wreckage. "Do you think the lives that were taken here today could be restored by the dragon balls?"

Gohan nodded. "Yes, that would work. But we'll have to go to Namek for them since our dragon balls are still inactive. I would rather us wait for one month for earth's dragon balls to be active. They denied us quite... vehemently, last time." He looked up Kale, who was still in her transformation. "Are we going to do anything about her?"

"Do not speak of her as if she is a thing," Caulifla said coldly. "I don't care how strong you are. Do that again and I'll make sure you regret it."

"Don't get so defensive," Gohan told her evenly. "I didn't mean for it to sound that way. But from what I've seen at the tournament, she'll be dangerous as long as she's in that form. So how do we get her out of it?"

"I tried before," said Caulifla. "It worked at first but then things got complicated..." She shoved her hands in her pockets. "Oi, Cabba. Maybe you should try."

Cabba grew flustered. "H-uh? Me? What are you saying, Caulifla?"

"Oh, grow a pair already," Caulifla said crudely. "What kind of saiyan are you?"

Gohan couldn't help but chuckle darkly. "More of a saiyan than you'll ever be, Caulifla. At least he doesn't mess around with other people's families."

Caulifla pointedly ignored him, choosing instead to focus all her attention on Cabba, whose previous bravado had all but disappeared. "Well? Are you going to do something or what? If she ends up destroying the city, it's all on you."

"Fine..." He heaved out a sigh to calm himself. "I'll do it."

As soon as he was gone, Caulifla chose to remark offhandedly, "You know, Gohan, only saiyans with incomplete bonds or no bonds at all could possibly be unfaithful to their mates."

Instantly, Gohan stiffened. "What the hell are you on about, Caulifla?"

"I thought you would appreciate some trivia about our race," Caulifla replied flippantly. "After all, we're a dying race in Universe 7, are we not?"

Gohan was silent but Caulifla could sense that he was seething with anger. But though he was undeniably furious, Caulifla could tell that he was thinking about what she'd said. The half-breed had a mate of his own - surely he could connect the dots?

"What you and my father have been doing is looked down upon on earth," Gohan said icily.

"We are not earthlings." She spared him a glance. "If it makes you feel better, your father and I have agreed not to continue any intimate relations we might have once had."

"So it's true," Gohan muttered, his suspicions confirmed. "Dad, how could you..." He trailed off, thinking of Cocoa's advice. Chi Chi could be ridiculously unbearable at times. Perhaps Caulifla had entered the scene at a bad time. Deep down, Gohan knew that his father and Caulifla were not the only ones to blame.

He could only hope that everything worked out in the end.

* * *

"Kale," Cabba said carefully, levitating in front of the girl in question. "Do you recognise me, Kale?"

The destroyer woman simply stared at him with blank white eyes.

"It's me, Cabba. My name is Cabba And your name is Kale."

Kale continued to stare. Then she muttered uncertainly, "Caaba?" The name was pronounced wrongly and drawn out in an ugly fashion but Cabba smiled anyway, relief washing over him.

"That's right," Cabba said encouragingly. "I'm Cabba and you're Kale. Do you remember who you are, Kale?" He wasn't dissuaded by her impassive state. "If you don't remember, then let me enlighten you." He took a deep breath. "Kale is shy, sweet and kind. She loves animals, even though she thinks I don't know that. Kale is always aware of negative feelings so she always tries her best to show compassion. Kale can seem meek and submissive but inside her heart lies the bravest creature in existence. It's all these things about Kale that..." He hesitated, wondering if he should say it or not.

"That what?"

Cabba whipped his head upward. Kale's eyes had somewhat cleared but they were still relatively clouded. "That what?" the girl repeated.

"That..." Cabba steeled his resolve and looked her straight in the eye. "That made me fall in love with her." He felt numb. _I said it... I actually said it. But will she remember?_

A small, genuine smile made its way onto Kale's face. "Thank you, Cabba." Her super saiyan aura dissipated and she returned to her original form. Her hair, unbound, fell in spiky waves over her shoulders, her bangs falling like curtains around her face.

Cabba caught her before she could fall onto the ground. The girl had spent all of her energy on her rampage and was now lying unconscious in his arms. He felt himself sway a little as he held her close. _I think I love you, Kale. I don't care what Lime says; I think I love you._

* * *

"My sister's on vacation in the Bahamas!" declared Yumi as she walked side by side with her parents. She had woken up just as the police had arrived and was told by Cabba that her sister, in frustration, had gone off to the Bahamas, but not before explicitly stating that she did not want anyone interrupting her spontaneous holiday. Val would be back in a month's time.

"That girl, honestly," huffed Mrs Megumi. "Always doing this and that without our permission!"

"I'm glad you girls are safe though," put in Mr Megumi. "Would you like some ice cream, Yumi?"

"Ooh! Would I?!"

* * *

Niifa's eyes followed the schematics absently, looking over the same parts repeatedly. In her hand, she swirled a glass of gelper, a highly alcoholic beverage. Her eyes were filmy with a drunken rheum, evidence supporting the fact that this was her fifteenth glass of gelper. She had been at this for hours now - studying the blueprints, pouring herself another helping of gelper, forgetting what she had studied and then repeating the cycle all over again.

There was a knock on the door but Niifa hardly registered it, her head swirling with jumbled, incoherent thoughts. All around her quarters blood ran down the walls and pooled in a thick sludge on the floor. She did not know if it was real or if it was a side effect of the moonshine. Neither gave her much reassurance.

The door creaked open and Moblit stepped in, his foot landing in a puddle of crimson - or at least that was what Niifa perceived it to be. Her assistant hardly seemed fazed by the mess at all. Niifa took it as a sign that the blood was only a figment of her imagination.

"Niifa," Moblit started. "It's been days. Please come out, Squad Leader. It's not healthy for you to be cooped up in here all day doing... This."

Niifa stared at him with her cloudy gaze.

"Everyone's been worried about you," continued Moblit. "Muto, Benzert, me, everyone. You haven't eaten for three days."

"Moblit..." Niifa slurred. "What about Yvonne?"

"S-she's, ah, passed on, Squad Leader. D-did you forget?"

"No," murmured Niifa. "Not forget. Never forget. I never forget my own teammates. I was just making sure... That she stayed dead."

"If you don't mind me asking Squad Leader, why would you say that?"

"Because she is too good for this world. Heh. That and I wouldn't want her to see me like this." She yawned. "Pathetic... If she could see me now she'd lose all respect for me. I am tired, Moblit... Please take me to bed."

"Very well, Squad Leader." He picked her up and tucked her into her bed, pulling the blankets over her in one smooth motion. "Did you need anything else, Squad Leader?"

"No... Just leave me be."

"Right." He turned to leave but paused. "Oh, and Niifa?"

"Mmm?"

"Please actually eat the food we leave for you next time instead of throwing it out the window. The garbage boy has been complaining of carforts and whatnot raining down on his head all the time."

"Heh. Duly noted."

"Goodnight, Niifa."

"... Goodnight."

The door closed quietly behind Moblit.

* * *

Moblit was returning to the lab to dismiss his squad mates (having been placed in command while Niifa was invalid) when he ran into an armoured soldier. She stood a head shorter than him and he had to crane his neck downward to look at her.

The soldier glared up at him with her single working eye. "Do you always have to do that, Moblit?"

Moblit had to stop himself from staring intently at the scar over her blind eye. "Do what, Chaya?" he asked innocently.

"I know you felt me coming. But you insist on using every opportunity to assert your height over me." She shoved him roughly. "Don't do that, Moblit. You know I don't like it. You may be the taller one but we both know I carry more strength in one finger than you do your entire body. Do you have a death wish or something?"

They weren't close enough for Moblit to laugh it off like he did a lot of things. "No, ma'am," he muttered. "I won't do it again, ma'am."

Chaya stared at him with skepticism, making Moblit sweat. This woman was a wildcard. There was never telling what she might do, even if it meant she had to directly disobey Kafara's orders. She could kill him right then and there and would still manage to weasel her way out of consequences.

Moblit was internally saying goodbye to all his loved ones when he heard Chaya step backward.

"It's 'sir'," she told him, a steel edge in her voice. "'Ma'am' is for nannies. Don't forget that." With that, she walked away, disappearing around the corner.

"Crazy broad," Moblit muttered when she was no longer in earshot. "I swear, everyone on this ship is nuts one way or another. I just hope I live to be a hundred at least."

But he, like many others on this ship, had learned many lessons. It would be unwise to ever hope. But of course there would always be those who thought otherwise.

For them, hope died slowly.

* * *

 _ **A/N: For those who want to see more Goku/Caulifla, sorry about that u.u**_

 ** _There'll be more of them after we're into the first villain arc._**

 ** _Some of you are probably used to me updating much faster in the past. But I'm a busy person with a life outside of fanfiction (sorry about that). I try to update as soon as I can :p_**


	20. Children of the Lost

_**A/N: OCs alert! Like I said, we'll be focusing more on Universe 6 for now.**_

* * *

"Ahoy there!" crowed a small child, his tail waving back and forth in excitement. "I am the greatest pirate in all the universe, Kafara!"

The other children stared at him, unimpressed.

"Lame."

"What are _you_ supposed to be, Cody?"

"What are you, six?"

"You don't even _look_ like Kafara!"

Cody, a member of the animalistic Zoorian race, glared at his heckling audience from his makeshift stage, which was a cafeteria table. "Don't be mean, guys! I'm just having some fun."

"You dragged us all the way here to watch your two bit performance, Cody," said Rallo, a creature that heavily resembled Earth's armadillo. "I mean, come on. How do would you expect us to react?"

"Yeah, Rallo's right!" agreed one boy.

Cody groaned. "Seriously? You too, Wesson?"

"You have to admit, that _was_ pretty bad," a pretty female alien resembling a Kai pointed out. Unlike the boys, her uniform was neatly pressed; tidiness was a trait normally associated with her species: the Memsies.

Cody looked even more affronted than before."You don't know what you're talking about, Ruby!"

"I so do," countered Ruby, miffed that Cody was dismissing her opinion as if it were nothing. "That was bad with a capital 'b'!"

"What's going on here?" demanded a soldier, making his way up to them before Cody could retort. "Shirking your duties, trainees?"

The children quickly scrambled to appropriate positions, saluting the soldier, an alien with bright red skin and horns. "Commandant!" they recited, tremors of fear in their voices. Suddenly, the empty mess hall seemed much colder.

Cody, the tiniest out of the bunch, saluted out of time with the others, something that did not escape the Commandant's hawk-like gaze.

The Commandant leaned in close to Cody, his eyes burning with fury. "What's your name, boy?"

The poor zoorian trembled under his harsh stare, his grey-white fur puffing up in anticipation. The Commandant was not a nice man, he knew. Cody was going to be in for the punishment of a lifetime.

"C-Cody," he stammered.

"What was that?!" bellowed the red-skinned alien. "Speak up, boy!"

When Cody only looked up at the Commandant with wide doe eyes, Rallo elbowed him in the side, hissing, "Answer, you dolt!"

"Cody!" blurted the zoorian. "I said my name is Cody, sir!"

"Cody, eh?" the Commandant parroted. In one swift movement, his had his broad hand wrapped around Cody's head. "Well then, _Cody,_ pull a stunt like that again and I will slap you shitless!"

Cody screamed in pain as the alien's nails dug into his delicate skin, breaking it and causing blood to flow from the wounds.

The other children looked on in horror, Ruby seeming especially disturbed, her normally rosy complexion now pale as she balked.

The Memsie opened her mouth to intervene but Wesson stopped her by moving a feathered hand over her orifice.

"Don't," Wesson said, his eyes never leaving Cody and the Commandant. "It'll just make things worse."

"I want you to beg!" sneered the Commandant. "Beg for mercy!"

Cody did not. The zoorians were not a notoriously prideful race like the saiyans but they still had their dignity to uphold. It was all Cody had left anyway. Without his pride intact, he'd just be like the rest of the orphan refugees on Planet D-52: lost and empty.

"Oh, please just do it, Cody," Ruby was muttering under her breath. Memsies valued self-preservation and peaceful solutions over pride. "Please...!"

Rallo and Wesson did not bother to rebuke her. The Memsie wouldn't last long if she couldn't deal with extremes such as this - she'd have to learn it the hard way. Unlike Ruby, the boys were more aware of their circumstances - they would be trained and forced to kill for the sake of their own survival. Should they fail, they would be executed on the spot or dismissed back to whatever hell they came from. In their case, it was the refugee camp back on Planet D-52.

A quiet keening came from Cody. He was about to crack. The powerful instinct of survival overwhelmed all other thoughts. "M-mer -"

He did not get to the last syllable before the Commandant released his furry head. Cody blinked up in confusion and shock. "W-what?"

A soldier - a woman who was not particularly tall - held the Commandant by the head just like how the latter had done to Cody before. She had hair as dark as night that cascaded in spikes down her shoulders. The Commandant was squirming in the woman's grip.

"Let me go!" shrilled the Commandant. "I demand you let me go! Treason, treason!"

"Oh, shut up, you coward," the woman deadpanned. "At least go out with dignity."

The Commandant smirked uncertainly, trying to downplay his fear. "O-oh, yeah? I don't know who you are but I'm a high ranking officer. Lady Kafara will hear of this! A-and then you'll be sorry!"

The female soldier turned the Commandant around and looked him straight into the eye impassively. The Commandant felt a shiver run down his spine as he stared into her blind eye, an ugly scar running over it.

"Oh?" Chaya said softly. "And just how does a corpse talk?" Without any warning, she crushed his head as if it were a fruit, the Commandant's blood and brain matter flying everywhere. A drop landed on the corner of Chaya's mouth and she lapped her tongue over it with delight.

Ruby was the first to react. "YOU KILLED HIM!"

"Tch," Chaya scoffed. "What, do you want a medal for stating the obvious?"

"How could you?" cried Ruby, unable to comprehend such a sickening display of cruelty. "You just took a life!"

"And many others too," Chaya said casually, shaking the alien's purple blood off her hand. She glared at the stickiness that remained on her fingers. "What a disgusting creature."

Ruby looked like she was about to explode but Cody spoke first,"T-thank you. You saved my life."

"What?!" shrieked Ruby. "Cody get away from her, she's a murderer! The Commandant wasn't going to kill you or anything! That would be against the rules!"

"Rules were made to oppress and confine. So please, kindly do me a favor and fuck off," Chaya said crudely. "If you can't handle something as trivial as punishment, then you're better off at home, memsie."

"T-that wasn't punishment!" spluttered Ruby, flustered at the use of a curse word. "That was murder!"

Chaya did not bother to correct her, choosing to walk away instead after destroying the rest of the body, the children shouting in surprise as she shot a chi blast at the corpse. It wasn't as if the girl was wrong. Ruby had hit the nail on the head - it was murder.

"H-hey, wait!"

Chaya turned around, blinking once then twice at the small ball of fluff running after her. It was Cody, still dressed up in his uniform, his own blood nearly dry and caking his fur.

Cody halted in front of the female warrior. "That was real nice of you back there," he said gratefully. "B-but did you really have to kill him?"

"Yes," Chaya said bluntly. "I did it because it is scum like him who pollute this beautiful universe. He went against everything I believe in. He had to be eliminated. What kind of person in their right mind would torture a child?"

"Oh... Well if you put it _that_ way..."

Chaya chuckled darkly. "You're a zoorian right?"

"Yep, that's right. The name's Cody. Who and what are _you_ , miss?"

"My name is Chaya. And I am a saiyan."

"Nice to meet you, Chaya!" Cody chirped and Chaya had to admit to herself that it felt good not to be feared or called 'sir' for once.

"The feeling's mutual." She started walking away but was stopped when the zoorian dashed in front of her.

"Hold on," Cody said with an innocent tone, one that only a child could manage. "Where are you going, Chaya?"

"The kitchen for a bite to eat. Why?"

The loud grumbling of Cody's stomach said it all.

Chaya rolled her eyes. "Of course." She resumed her brisk pace, Cody bouncing alongside her this time. When his stomach growled again, she asked, "When was the last time they fed you? From what I know, carnivorous zoorians are supposed to have huge appetites. You look like you haven't been fed in days, I might add."

"Well, you're right about that... I don't remember the last time I ate any fresh meat. The Commandant normally just feeds us gruel."

"Well bully for him, because he's dead," Chaya said with a wicked grin. "Come on, kid. Let's go get you fed."

"Can my friends come?"

Chaya slowed down, raising an eyebrow at Cody. "You consider them your friends?"

"Well, yeah. They're all that I have on this ship. Especially Ruby. She's a lot nicer than the others, especially Rallo and Wesson."

Chaya couldn't help but scoff when he mentioned Ruby. That girl... What was someone like her doing on a ship like this? Kafara was no better than a space pirate; memsies were elites who held themselves with class and poise. Ruby had been shocked to see the saiyan murder the Commandant in cold blood and had not adjusted to the idea as Cody evidently had. _Tch. She won't last very long with that attitude. For her sake, I hope she has parents important enough to pull her out of this mess._

"So can they come?" Cody was asking when Chaya tuned back in.

"No," answered Chaya.

"Huh? Why?"

"Because I don't like them. Don't ask stupid questions."

"Hey! That wasn't stupid!"

"I withdraw that statement then," Chaya said dryly, not wanting to argue with a child over the concept of stupid questions. "But do you know what's stupid?"

"What?"

"How you tried to impersonate Kafara like that. Don't ever do it again if you know what's good for you. Kafara... She's a dangerous woman, if she can even be called that. My advice is to lay low, Cody."

"Oh, okay," mumbled Cody, looking considerably more downcast. "So, um, how do you eat without any trouble from Butterbutt?"

Chaya had to swallow a laugh. 'Butterbutt' was what most of the kitchen volunteers called Midge, the Head Laundress who loved to 'supervise' the child recruits whenever she heard that they were on mandatory kitchen duty. She usually just ended up whacking said recruits with her broom and chowing on fatty, greasy foods, hence the name. Needless to say, Chaya herself did not like Butterbutt. Anyone who treated children with unjustified abuse were bad in her book. Butternut was lucky enough to have ever met the saiyan face to face before and Chaya - between all her duties and whatnot - simply did not have the time to hunt her down.

"Butterbutt doesn't show her ugly mug when I'm around," Chaya told Cody, smirking. "Instead, I have a few old friends who let me duck in to dine whenever I want."

"Wow! That's awesome! Whenever I'm in kitchen duty, it's just me and old Butterbutt. So who are these friends of yours?"

"I'll let you meet them for yourself," Chaya answered just as they reached the kitchens and pushed open the doors. "Welcome to a saiyan's heaven, zoorian."

Cody didn't hear his new friend. His senses were currently being overwhelmed - there were four cooks in the kitchen, all of them old with laugh lines on their kind faces. From what he could smell, each of them were contributing something tasty, pots and pans filled to the brim with delicious sauces and stews. A younger alien with olive tan skin and pointed ears was washing the dishes with diligent efficiency, whistling merrily as he worked. When Cody observed them closer, he realized that the chefs were of the same race as the dish-washing young male. _This is nothing like when Butterbutt is here!_ Indeed it wasn't; the atmosphere radiated with happiness and joy as the workers did their jobs, laughing and talking with each other. Cody had never even seen them before - it was always just him, the other kids and Butterbutt. _They probably can't stand the old cow either which is why they're never around when she is._

"Chaya!" the only female chef greeted, expertly spooning stew into a large bowl for the saiyan. She added to loaves of bread into the dish. "How are you, dear?"

"I'm doing just fine, Gammy," Chaya replied, smiling genuinely at the old alien and sitting down on a wooden table. "Thanks for the chow."

"Of course, dear, you're practically family for all we care!" Gammy waved the saiyan off before turning her attention to Cody, who was staring wide-eyed at his surroundings. "And who are you, sweetheart?"

"I'm Cody. Chaya brought me along with her," said the zoorian as he sat down next to Chaya, uncharacteristically shy. "It's nice to meet you ma'am."

"Now, now, none of that formal stuff," chided Gammy while preparing another bowl of the same stew for Cody. "You just call me 'Gammy', you hear? A friend of Chaya's is a friend of mine." She pushed the hot dish down the table, the bowl stopping right in front of Cody. "It's got meat, vegetables and all things good. Dig in, honey!"

The young male washing the dishes finally finished and stuffed his cleaning rag into his apron pocket before sitting opposite Chaya and Cody, who were both busy stuffing their faces like they hadn't eaten for months. "Hey," he said nonchalantly. "How's the food?"

Cody wasn't sure how to respond to the man but, thankfully, he didn't have to as Chaya piped up for him.

"It was good until you opened your big mouth, River."

"Ouch!" River said with an exaggerated whimper. "You wound me so, fair maiden!"

"Shut up, idiot. Never interrupt a hungry saiyan when they're eating."

River wisely took her advice and turned to Cody. "Hey there, lil' guy. So Gammy said your name is Cody, right?" The zoorian nodded and River continued, "I'm River. Are you liking things around here?" He clicked his tongue in what Cody perceived to be a sympathetic noise. "It must be tough to be stuck with Butterbutt all the time. She's one-of-a-kind, I'll tell you that. When I was your age, I went through the same thing. It's like a rite of passage almost."

"Butterbutt's nasty," Cody said, wrinkling his nose. "Someone should fire her."

River laughed. "Said everyone ever! But we keep her around because she's useful. Can't have a laundering team without the Head Laundress."

"Does that mean you're a soldier then?" Cody wondered. "No offence, mister, but you don't look very strong." He eyed River's wiry build skeptically. _Maybe he runs really fast?_

"You're right about that," River admitted. "I've always been a lover, not a fighter. Make love not war is what I always say. Like all of you, I was picked up from a refugee camp and sent here to work as a soldier. When that didn't work out..." He turned his head slightly toward where two of the three other old males were working. "Archer and Harper got me out of a bind. Without them, I doubt I'd be alive and talking to you right now. My twin sister Willow isn't cut out for fighting either. Luckily, she managed to get out of it by becoming a laundress. But man, oh man, it must suck to have to look at Butterbutt all day _and_ take orders from her. Yecchh!"

Cody's eyes twinkled with amusement. River was fast becoming one of his favorite people. "Have you seen the way she eats those crab cakes?!"

This made River roar with laughter and bang his fist on the table. "Have I?!" He made an exaggerated eating motion with his hands and attempted to unhinge his lower jaw. "OM NOM NOM!"

Cody burst into a howling caterwaul, tears of laughter pricking his eyes. "EXACTLY LIKE THAT!"

Chaya sighed through her nose. "You're so immature, River." She handed her empty bowl to Gammy. "May I have seconds, please?"

"Of course, dear, coming right up! Why don't you try some of Emmett's steak as well? And Archer and Harper are mass producing soup for tonight that's almost ready if you want some of that too."

Chaya nodded enthusiastically. "Thanks Gammy!"

Archer poured finishing sauce on a steak while Harper sprinkled all sorts of exotic herbs over it. They grinned at each other, their old eyes tilting upward.

"You've really outdone yourself this time," Archer complimented, kissing Harper on the cheek. "The garnish smells wonderful!"

Harper blushed slightly. " _Really,_ now Archer... We agreed on no public displays of affection, remember?"

Archer waved it off. "Ah, whatever. We're among friends here. They already know that we're together. And even if the kid noticed that little peck, I'm sure he won't snitch."

"Alright, lovebirds," Gammy mumbled, snatching the steak dish from counter and placing it in front of Chaya. "We don't got all day here. My daughter needs feeding and so does her new friend."

Chaya sweatdropped. "Gammy..."

"What is it child? You know that I don't give a rat's ass about whatever your name is supposed to mean in that saiyan language of yours. Forgive me if I only speak Universal Standard."

"It means 'child of no one'," Chaya bluntly reminded her.

Gammy was unfazed by her sudden change of mood. "Like I said, I don't care. You might as well be my daughter. You're welcome to call me 'mommy' any time!"

"You're just like me then!" Cody interrupted, blinking at Chaya. "I don't have parents either."

River raised his arm slightly. "Make that three of us. Four, if you want to include Willow."

"Same goes for me," Emmett put in, speaking for the first time since Chaya and Cody arrived. "My mother and father abandoned me at a young age in the woods of my home planet. But I say stuff 'em. I got a new family now." He smiled around at everyone. "My wife Lucinda, though most of you would know her as Gammy; my best friends Harper and Archer; and Chaya, River and Willow, my three beautiful children. And there's a place for you too, Cody," he added. "If you want it."

River released a low whistle. "Wow gramps. You don't talk much, but when you do, you really like to go all out, don't ya?"

"Sometimes, I hope a Laggerwomp eats all of you," remarked Chaya with mock irritation. "But then there'd be no delicious stew for me..."

Cody glanced uncertainly between River, Chaya and Emmett. When he got to Lucinda - Gammy - she gave him a warm, motherly smile, the corners of her eyes crinkling as her mouth turned upward. Harper and Archer stood off to the side, the pair more comfortable in each other's presence.

"Umm," Cody said hesitantly, his voice wavering. "I-I don't want to intrude or anything."

"Relax, sugar pie!" Gammy exclaimed. "Don't be so uptight about everything."

What Gammy said went against nearly all of the Commandant's teachings. Be alert; be vigilant. Confusion swam on the poor boy's face and he chose to stare at his cooling meal instead of answering.

"Let's not rush him," Chaya suggested. "You can't just push someone into a new family, Gammy." She ate her steak in a few bites. "Thanks for the food, guys. It was really good - the others will love it for dinner." The saiyan swung her legs around to remove herself from her seat, grabbing Cody with her. "I assume your done here," she told him, eyeing his near empty bowl, "So I want to take you somewhere."

"A little young for you, don't you think?" cackled River, slapping his thigh.

"If you know what's good for you River, you _will_ shut up before I send Willow your corpse wrapped in bedsheets."

"Whoa, okay! Chill, Chaya."

As Chaya dragged Cody away, Gammy shook her head and returned to her boiling pots. "Ah, that girl." She stirred a brown gravy with a bronze ladle. "She's grown up too fast."

Emmett nodded in agreement. "Yes. But that's just the reality of the situation I suppose. It's hard to be a child in a hellhole like this."

"The whole universe is a sink or swim situation," remarked River, picking his nails with disinterest. "We all know that."

Archer paused in cutting carfots, looking up. "You don't have to remind us, River. But back to the topic at hand here, it's difficult to believe that she's only eighteen."

"Boy, you just hit the nail on the head," said Harper with a sigh.

* * *

"Is this authorised?" was the first thing Cody asked when Chaya brought him down to where all the smaller ships were kept.

Chaya climbed in a space-copter switched and flicked a series of buttons and levers, Cody hopping into the backseat, his eyes large with curiosity and a small amount of fear. His clawed hands stroked the window as he pressed his face against the thick glass, observing the rest of the hangar.

"Buckle up," Chaya warned as the vehicle roared to life. "Computer: Fuel levels."

"Recognized: Captain Chaya. My sensors indicate that the fuel tank is fifty percent full," the computer replied merrily.

"Good. That should be enough for a return trip as well."

At the back, Cody was trying to figure out how to put on his seatbelt when the side entrance opened up and Chaya flew the copter outside. The zoorian cried out in surprised as he was tossed around the back in centrifugal motion.

A few more buttons were pressed and the ship moved into a steady pace. Chaya, having turned on the autopilot, turned around to look at Cody, who was lying on the floor face-up, stunned.

"I did warn you," she mused.

"You didn't answer my question before," Cody said with a small, pained moan. "Are you sure we're authorized to do, well, _this_?"

"You don't trust me?"

Cody seemed to shrink within his pelt. "Uhh..."

"Maybe you'll find the computer more trustworthy then?" Chaya inquired. "Computer: Display my assignments."

"Assignments displayed." A hologram appeared, showcasing all of Chaya's missions, completed and uncompleted ones sorted into two different categories.

"Well okay then," Cody said, sounding significantly less skeptical. "But why are you bringing me along?"

"A few reasons actually. This will be your first taste of a real mission that hundreds of thousands of soldiers undergo every day. Also, the planet I'm taking you to is particularly beautiful this time of year." She glanced outside, blackness stretching everywhere. "So what if the universe dealt us a cruel hand? Doesn't mean we can't find beauty in life."

"Oh. So... What's the planet called?" Cody inquired, expecting a series of numbers and letters in response.

"It doesn't really have a name as it's not a planet per se. It's actually one of the moons of Planet Xandonia."

"A moon?! Does it have oxygen up there?"

"No, actually," Chaya informed the young zoorian. "The people that inhabit it don't have lungs; only voice sacs."

"Whoa...! That's so cool! But wait - how are we going to breathe then? I don't see any space suits around."

"We'll get to that later."

Out of the corner of his eye, Cody caught sight of a green planet as they shot through space. "Wow... The universe is so big. Hey Chaya, does Xandonia's moon have plants and water? I thought that stuff can't exist without oxygen."

"Like all its other life forms, plants have learned to adapt to the environment," answered Chaya. "As for water... Yes it exists. Don't ask me how or why. I'm not a scientist."

"Oh, okay. Umm, that wasn't a stupid question, was it, Chaya?" He looked down, ready for the saiyan warrior to berate him.

"No. No, it wasn't, Cody."

"Oh! Really?!"

"Now _that_ was a stupid question."

Half an hour later, they circled the blue planet that was Xandonia before landing on the moon. Cody was about slide open the door to exit the vehicle when Chaya's strong hand suddenly wrapped around his wrist. The zoorian winced.

"What was that for, Chaya?"

"Imbecile!" Chaya snapped harshly. "Have you forgotten already that this moon has no oxygen?! Do you _want_ to suffocate? If so, be my fucking guest!"

"O-oh. S-sorry," squeaked Cody, falling back on his butt. "I wasn't thinking."

A snort. "Obviously." She fished out two vials filled with a maroon liquid from one of the ship's many compartments. "Here, drink this."

Cody took a vial from her outstretched hand and uncorked the bottle, sniffing the solution. He grimaced. "Smells funny."

"Tch. Just drink it before I shove it down your throat, brat."

"Eek! Okay!"

When they had both chugged down their drinks, Chaya sat down, making a gesture to ensure Cody did the same. "It gets real funny from here. You may or may not throw up."

Cody couldn't even get a word in when he felt a tug at his navel. He groaned and the world spun before everything went black.

* * *

 _ **A/N: Just gonna end it there. It'll be continued next chapter. I promise this is actually somewhat relevant to the main plot, especially Chaya.**_

 _ **Yes we did not get to see anyone from Universe 7. So uh... ye.**_


	21. Farewell

One month.

It had been one month since Cabba had started training and though he enjoyed his time with his teacher, he was ready to go home, just like Caulifla and Kale.

Caulifla had already voiced her concerns about staying for too long. She passed the time by sparring with Kale, the androids or practising by herself.

While Kale and Cabba had been expecting a movie date, Vegeta's stubborn head kept them from it - either Cabba would train every day or said training would cease.

Now Caulifla sat by herself in Capsule Corp.'s large backyard, observing koi fish from her wooden seat. She had long since vacated her temporary home in the mountains, choosing instead to stay at Capsule Corp. with her companions. It was a more luxurious living than she was used to but it wasn't a _bad_ change.

For one, there was no Son Goku around to bother her. From what she heard, he had gone off with Beerus and Whis for one of his training trips. She had not spoken to him since the incident at Herculopolis Mall. She only wondered how Chi Chi was coping with this.

The calming ripple of the water was interrupted when the grass crunched and Cabba appeared next to her, dressed in his black gi with a towel hanging around his neck.

"Can I join you?"

Caulifla shifted to the right and patted the bench. "Go ahead. It's not like I own the place."

The male saiyan sat down, the cool feel of the wood welcoming to his hot and sweaty body - he had just come out of a rough training session with Vegeta. Underneath his gi, he was sure that his chest and abdomen were speckled with bruises and lacerations but they were only superficial.

"You've been distant," Caulifla commented offhandedly. "So what's up?"

"You've been distant too," Cabba countered, wincing slightly when a bruise at the back of his thigh throbbed. "I already know that you are no longer training with Goku. Is that why?"

"Tch. That's not the only thing."

"Then what? Tell me, Caulifla."

Instead of answering, she asked, "Do you miss your old life?"

"Old life?" Cabba echoed. "Well, yes. It's been my lifelong dream to become a member of the Sadala Defence Force. Add to the fact that I'm also an elite."

 _Why does this sound familiar?_ Caulifla thought wryly, memories of Renso saluting at the dinner coming back to her. _Why is it that every male I know is a righteous fool?_

"Being an elite sounds lonely," she remarked. "Especially since Frost practically ruled over the Sadala Defence Force. You must spend a lot of time with his underlings. From what I hear, they're a bad lot. Not your type."

"Only the soldiers," Cabba told her. "They're all brutes one way or another. But the rest are mostly fine. Mother and father are acquainted with a few of them actually."

There was a sting that accompanied his last sentence to Caulifla. She hadn't known that both of his parents were still alive. He had mentioned that they were highborn before but she hadn't connected any dots to their status as alive or dead. Both she and Kale had been orphaned at a young age. For the longest time, she had thought that Cabba was in the same boat as them - _hoped_ that he was just like them, however cruel that sounded.

"Oh yeah, who? Bet they must be pretty important."

Cabba gave her a wonky sort of smile. "Not really. You see, mother and father always took pity on the less fortunate. Any acquaintances they had there were all working class members of Frost's ship."

Though it was clear that Cabba's parents were only trying to be kind, Caulifla felt a wave of frustration surge through her. She wasn't sure where it came from and didn't ponder too much about it.

"They're all a bunch of strange characters," Cabba continued. "Heck, they loved me in their own way. My cousin is a saiyan on that ship as well."

"Cousin?" Caulifla's interest perked up. "And who might that be?"

"Her name's Parsley. Two months ago, she joined the Elite Tech Squad. She wrote to me a lot, telling me a lot about her team. The Head Technician is supposed to be really nice but I've never met her before." He tapped his chin. "I wonder how many letters I have from Parsley piling up in my mailbox."

"You'll find out soon enough," Caulifla told him. "Because we're going home tonight, regardless of whether you finished your training or not."

"Eh? Why now, all of a sudden?"

"This is not our home Cabba. We've out stayed our welcome." _We'll, I definitely have in any case._ And maybe it was selfish but she would not relent. She had already asked Whis about it and he would deliver the saiyan trio to Universe 6 himself as Vados would be too busy working with Champa on the latter' diet. The purple god had completely occupied himself with dieting and had no time for anything else. Naturally, Vados had been roped into becoming his personal trainer.

Cabba nodded slowly. "Master Vegeta - Vegeta - told me that there was more to learn but that I would learn it by exploring the universe myself. He dropped me as a student not too long ago."

"Did he teach you to become a super saiyan god?"

"No. Apparently, I'm not ready for that form yet. He's only been training me super saiyan two and I'm still getting the hang of going super saiyan three."

The rest of the afternoon passed in a swirl of drifting autumn leaves.

* * *

Trunks sat on his bed, staring at the wall in front of him. His mother had unplugged all the gaming systems previously installed in his bedroom as part of his punishment but he didn't care. He was still trying to summon up the courage and will to essentially tell Goku to cheat on his wife.

Goten had come by a few weeks ago telling him that "everything's better between mom and dad now" and he was now aware of who and what Caulifla was. The boy had mostly spent the duration of the gruesome video call hiding behind Trunks' back and covering his ears. He had not heard the most crucial parts of Future Chi Chi's message - only the end where she was caught and killed.

Trunks further sagged on his bed. The weight he carried on his shoulders was becoming too much now, even for a half-saiyan like him. He supposed that humans and saiyans could be equal in mental strength if the circumstances willed it.

He had yet to share with anyone Future Chi Chi's message. At first, he had considered going to his mother, but she had locked herself in her room. Any visitors would be unwelcome to her. His father was just unwelcoming in general.

Nobody would understand. He was all alone in this one. But still, he had to try, or else the future would be doomed.

 _Is this what the future me felt like?_ Trunks thought, grimacing. _He was alone and helpless but he still tried! If I can be half the saiyan he is...!_

He straightened when he realized something. There was a person he could talk to. The charging robot dog in the corner of his room was a definite reminder.

Trunks dashed out of his room to the nearest telephone in the house. He quickly dialled in Tights' number, nearly breaking the telephone with his vice grip.

When someone on the other end finally picked up, Trunks shouted into the receiver, "Aunt Tights! Aunt Tights, I need to talk to you! It's really important."

"Who is this?" an unfamiliar voice sounded. "Who are you supposed to be?"

By the sound of it, the speaker was an old man.

"I need to talk to Tights," Trunks pleaded. "It's really, really important!"

"Hold your horses," the elderly man grumbled. "Tights' coming. Kids these days..."

There was a rustling noise accompanied with a "thanks, Omori!" and Tights' voice trilled, "Yo! What's up, Trunks? Calling in to hear the lovely voice of your favorite aunt?"

"You're my only aunt," Trunks pointed out, causing a clatter on the other end that was likely caused by Tights falling backward at his insolence.

"Ahem," Tights said. "I'm giving you my time of day here. At least appreciate it, sheesh."

"Aunt Tights, something bad's going to happen if I don't stop it."

"Really? What? Did Goten get into the cake again? Hooboy, your father's going to be mad for sure."

"Ack, no! That's not it. You see..." He hesitated, pondering on how he was going to go about this. "I got grounded because I messed with this machine that allows you to call other timelines or something like that."

There was a silence before Tights broke it, sounding unnaturally serious. "Trunks. What did you see? You have to tell me what you saw, okay?"

Trunks was slightly unnerved by the solemn tone her voice had taken a turn to but answered anyway. He told her every last detail - how he had discovered it with Goten, how Future Chi Chi had pleaded with them and how those _eyes_ had appeared.

At the end of it, Tights could only say: "Get your mother on the phone. Right now."

* * *

"Gohan, what's wrong?" Videl asked as Gohan returned to their home for afternoon tea. He had no classes to teach until a while later. "You've been acting weird lately. Have the students been stressing you out?"

"No, it's not that," Gohan replied, removing a stack of papers that had somehow fit into his briefcase.

Videl deadpanned at him. "Gohan, you will tell me what's wrong right now or I will kick your ass to the couch, got it?"

Gohan sighed. Videl never pulled threats on him anymore unless she was really serious on something. "It's my dad. I talked to him about the situation between him and mom... I don't know if I can forgive him."

Videl nodded and Gohan continued, "Maybe I sounded too accusing because the next thing you know, he's off on another training trip. Honestly, at his point, I don't blame him for wanting to run away from it all a bit."

"Son Gohan, do not ever use 'run away' to describe the actions of your father," Videl rebuked. "Yes, I know he isn't the ideal family man but that man is anything but a coward." She frowned at him. "You of all people should know that. Hell, if I know, then you should."

Videl was right, as usual. Son Goku had put his life on the line and saved the world and the universe on multiple occasions. Gohan removed his glasses and frowned at the mahogany desk all his ungraded papers were stacked upon.

Seeing Gohan so down made Videl sigh. She ran her fingers through his hair and gave him a soft kiss on the cheek. "Try not to worry too much, Gohan. You've been very stressed lately. Even Pan has noticed."

Gohan looked guilty up at his wife. "Has she really? Damn it..." He pushed his hands into his face.

"I know what can help," Videl said, moving over to where Pan was sleeping in her cot. "When she wakes up, why don't you play with her a bit? Pan's been missing her daddy a lot, you know."

Gohan grinned. "Say no more, fair maiden!" he declared in his 'hero voice', making Videl burst into a fit of giggles. "The Great Saiyaman shall save the day once again!"

* * *

The yellow sky of Sadala slowly turned to a deep mix of navy blue and purple as night took over. Wind swished over purple shrubbery as lavender gradually changed to black in a change of lighting. In the woods sat a lone house - a simple kampong-like structure made of wood and supported by thick, writhing tree trunks. Ivy and other green plants were free to roam wild, twisting and turning through crevices and gaps in the building. A particularly long string of ivy caressed the top of the door frame.

Such was Renso's house. Though it had a simplicity that most craved, it came with a lonely existence. The saiyan that occupied it was alone and crippled, sitting on his couch with a warm cup of tea. A warm burned in the hearth of a metal like stove, keeping the house - and Renso - warm. A steaming kettle filled with fresh tea sat on a counter-top.

According to Cabba, who had visited Renso after the Tournament of Power, Universe 6 had been erased before being restored. The idea of non-existence was a chilling thought, and Renso found himself at a standstill. It made him question the purpose of life up until this point. He had been a proud member of the Sadala Defence Force, but he was now little more than a disabled hermit rotting away in his own house. _Oh how the mighty have fallen._ For the longest time, he had convinced himself that his sole purpose in life was to protect those who couldn't. And for a while, he had carried out his duties with pride and efficiency - but now he craved something more.

Companionship.

The one thing most would consider more valuable than all the riches in the universe. Of course, Cabba would pop in from time to time, but the boy had his own duties to attend to as an elite of the Sadala Defence Force. Aside from those rare times where Cabba visited, Renso would be alone all year round with hardly any interaction with his fellow saiyans. The few exceptions would be when food ran out and he had to hobble down to the market to get more.

Then there was Caulifla - his sister. Renso had many regrets but his biggest would have to be letting her go. By doing so, he had broken what she considered a sacred promise. There would be mornings where he would wake up and cry into his pillow - the guilt too overwhelming. It was not becoming of a male to cry in saiyan society, so it was always done in his own home. _I sought to protect others. How can I do that if I can't even protect my family?_

The tea had now cooled to the point where it would be unpleasant to drink.

Renso downed it bitterly anyway.

* * *

Very few people had come to see Caulifla, Kale and Cabba off. Their goodbye committee consisted of Androids 17 and 18 (who Caulifla had quickly become friendly with), the elder Briefs, and, surprisingly, Vegeta, who was staring stoically at the sky.

"Now, if you're hungry, don't hesitate to eat anything," Mrs Briefs was fussing over Cabba, who she found to be a 'delightful young man'. "I made these cookies _especially_ for you! And be mindful to share with your friends as well! Sharing is caring, after all."

"R-right," Cabba said, rubbing the back of his awkwardly. Mrs Briefs was far too touchy for his taste. "I'll be sure to do that. Thank's very much, Mrs Briefs." He bowed from the waist, making Mrs Briefs laugh in her usual cheery manner.

"Oh, you really are _so_ polite! Really, Cabba, there's no need. We're close enough to be informal, don't you think?"

"You should come back sometime," Android 18 was saying to Caulifla, the former's china blue eyes staring into dark onyx ones. "17 and I need more sparring partners like you."

"Maybe someday," Caulifla said vaguely, shaking her hand. She doubted that she would ever return to Universe 7. "We'll meet again." _... Liar._

"Mm. I'll be looking forward to that day."

Kale was standing next to Caulifla, not paying much attention to the latter's conversation. She was more focused on the night sky, where she knew a beam of light - with Whis and possibly Beerus inside it - would be descending soon. _Home._ The thought of it sent excited shivers down Kale's spine. Finally, everything would return to normal. Caulifla would regain control over the gang and she - Kale - would take up the role of faithful protégée once more. And Cabba... She turned around to look at him getting all flustered over Mrs Briefs' pampering, Dr Briefs' mustache twitching upward in amusement as he looked on. Suddenly, her future no longer seemed to secure. Cabba was a Sadala Defence Force elite. Caulifla was an outlaw and being associated with Caulifla made Kale one too. Would their relationship ever be the same once they returned to Sadala?

Both Kale and Cabba had yet to confess their love for each other. Vegeta hadn't help things either - throwing Cabba into the gravity room each day without fail. Despite living under the same household, Kale hardly got to see Cabba during their stay after the day trip to Herculopolis Mall (which was still in the process of being rebuilt). She had mostly spent her time with Caulifla.

Everyone had finished saying their goodbyes (even Vegeta had made a noncommittal grunt toward Cabba) when Whis appeared with another figure.

 _Will Champa look like Beerus after he loses weight?_ wondered Cabba as the light gathered from the fast-moving Whis dispersed. _It'd be strange, seeing Champa as skinny as Beerus._

"Hello, everyone," Whis said. "Are you ready to go, you three?" He added to the Universe 6 saiyans.

"What are _you_ doing?" Caulifla said snappishly, totally ignoring a slightly amused Whis and instead focusing her attention on the man standing behind the angel. Then, realizing that there were people witnessing her lose her composure, she straightened. "I wasn't expecting you back so soon, Goku."

"It's good to see you again, Caulifla," Goku replied, though he didn't sound like his normal jolly self. "To answer your question, Chi Chi doesn't like it when I'm gone for too long. And," he hesitated slightly, "I came to see you off."

 _'You',_ Caulifla noted. _He said 'you'. Not 'you guys'. Just 'you'._ She lifted her chin. "I guess this is goodbye then."

"Yeah."

Nearly everyone (with the exception of Mrs Briefs, who was totally oblivious) could feel the tension thick in the air.

Goku moved forward, his hand outstretched. "It was nice knowing you, Caulifla. I hope you come visit again soon."

Caulifla stared at his hand for a bit before reluctantly taking it. Goku's larger hand completely covered hers. "That depends on a lot of things, Goku." As she spoke, she did not notice that she was pressing herself exceptionally close to the saiyan male.

"Regardless, like I said, I hope you come back."

Caulifla nodded slowly, neither outwardly confirming or denying his statement. _That makes one of us._ There was a small part of her mind which pleaded with her not to leave him, to _maybe_ stick around a bit. But the more dominant fraction of her had made up its mind.

"I'll ask again," Whis said. "Are you three ready to go?"

"We're ready,"Cabba affirmed, stepping close to the angel, Kale and Caulifla following suit. He waved at the small gathering. "Goodbye everyone! Goodbye, Master Vegeta."

Vegeta merely saluted him.

"I hope you enjoy my cookies!" Mrs Briefs hollered. "Just a friendly reminder dear: Share them!"

Kale and Caulifla remained silent, not having much to say in terms of goodbyes. Farewells had already been said; they didn't need to be said again. Whis slowly rose into the air.

"Everyone hold on," the angel instructed. "If you let go of me, you'll be stuck in hyperspace and suffocate."

Goku was waving at Caulifla, though she wasn't giving him much a response, just a two-finger salute. _I'll see you later, Caulifla. Something tells me we're going to meet again soon._

Whis was rocketing away at over a million times of the speed of light when Bulma came running out of the house, her blue hair greasy and frazzled from days of being unwashed. Behind her, Trunks ran as well, Wally by his side.

"Wait!" cried Bulma, a bunch of crumpled papers in her hand. "Don't go!"

"It's too late," Trunks said, his eyes wide with fear.

Unable to speak, Wally simply whined.

"What on earth are you two up to?" demanded Vegeta. "Woman, you look like a greasy rat!"

"Vegeta, I really don't have time to do this with you right now!" She looked desperately at Goku, ignoring the strange looks everyone was giving her. "Can you get them back somehow?"

"They're moving too fast," Goku said, shaking his head. "They're already out of our solar system. I can't lock onto their positions."

"What's cookin', sweetie?" Dr Briefs asked his daughter. "You seemed stressed out."

"Stressed out? Stressed out?! Thanks for pointing out the obvious, dad!" The heiress rubbed her temples, her knees buckling underneath her. "Grr, I was too slow..."

Vegeta caught his mate, who had passed out. He adjusted her so that he was holding her bridal style. "Boy," he said, addressing Trunks. "Do you know when was the last time she slept?"

"Uhh, no. Sorry, dad."

"Hn. I'm taking her to bed right now. Do not interrupt her sleep."

Trunks stared at his father's retreating back with worry. "What have you done to yourself, mom?"

* * *

Renso was preparing for bed when someone rapped their knuckles smartly on the wooden door. Renso blinked in surprise. _A visitor? For me? At this time? What the hell?_

"I'm coming," Renso called, limping toward the door with his crutch.

Suddenly, the door was ripped off its hinges, causing Renso to startle and nearly fall over. He stared in shock. "Who goes there?!"

"Me."

A woman that seemed to be made of liquid night slinked into the house. She stared him down, her blood red eyes piercing his very soul. Kafara moved closer to Renso, undaunted by the sight of a crippled man aiming his walking stick at her.

"Get back," growled Renso, moving into a fighting stance as best as he could. He cursed his injured leg as he nearly fell over from a lack of balance. "You dare come into my house and demand answers from me? Who do you think you are?"

"I am your Empress!" Kafara exploded, quickly closing the distance between them. She grabbed Renso by the collar and held him up. His crutch fell from his grip and rolled to the side. "And you _will_ obey me! You have information I need and I will extract it from you, whether you are willing or not."

"What do you want from me?!" spat Renso. "Identify yourself!"

Kafara's anger dissipated into amusement. "You really don't remember me... I guess you cannot be blamed. My appearance has changed over the years. Listen _Captain_ , my sources have told me that you possess some knowledge about a powerful creature. I was originally going to go after the golden lizard but plans have changed. Tell me everything you know about your sister, Caulifla."

Renso was instantly on alert. "No. No way. You are not touching her."

"This is an order. You will obey it."

"Never!"

"You fool!" She opened her mouth, two protruding fangs glinting in the moonlight. "You could have made it easier for yourself... But you insist on bringing it up to this point, don't you?! Very well, then! I will heed to your request."

Her fangs sank into a tender spot in his neck, making him choke and spasm in her grip. "N-no," he spluttered. "St-stop!"

"Pitiful worm. Even your sister doesn't act so pathetic when I feed on her."

"L-leave C-Cauli out of this...!"

"Cauli? Oh, _Caulifla?"_ She laughed cruelly into his neck. "Idiot. I don't mean her."

"What?! T-then what are you talking about...?" Renso's eyes rolled to the back of his head as he fought for consciousness. It was like life was being sucked out of him. "I-I have no other family..."

"That's what you think. But again, you aren't to blame, Renso." She removed herself from him and smacked her lips. "It must be terrible to have to live in ignorance your whole life." She kicked his unmoving form, which had crumpled onto the ground. "Hmm. You could still be of some use to me, even if you are a weakling." With a snap of her fingers, she summoned a black fire that enveloped the saiyan male. The flame hissed and burned for a few seconds before disappearing along with Renso.

* * *

 _ **A/N: I'm not surprised last chapter received mostly negativity. I'm glad that people feel to need to point out what they hated about it, it will only lead to me to try and change things up a bit so you won't have to suffer through the calamity of OCs. Those OCs are still going to be in the story and somewhat important but I'll try to make it so that they will not take up entire chapters like last time.**_

 _ **So I hope everyone can live with that.**_

 _ **I wonder if anyone picked up some subtle-not-so-subtle details I left in this chapter.**_

 _ **Also, I want to encourage people to write their own Goku/Caulifla if you feel like mine isn't up to scratch or not implementing ideas you want (the entire story is still currently in early stages). The reason why I continued after chapter one was so I could put my own ideas on paper (or digital paper anyway) since no one else was doing it at that time.**_

 ** _OMAKE!_**

 ** _I credit the inspiration of this story to a bunch of stuff: James Cameron's Avatar, Shingeki no Kyojin, Dragon Ball Super (obviously!) and the Throne of Glass series (which are really good; you should read it)._**

 ** _And if you're still reading, you've just made this 15 year old female ningen happy. Happy trails everyone!_**


	22. Peculiar things

"Hu?" Chaya muttered as she landed the space-copter. "All my missions were cancelled?"

At the back of the copter, Cody had thrown up three times from ingesting the solution that Chaya had given him. The entire place stunk of old vomit and it was a wonder how the saiyan had flown back without passing out.

Cody let out a small moan as Chaya picked him up to take him to the medical bay. In retrospect, taking Cody to Xandonia's moon was probably not the best idea she had ever had. But it was done, and now she had to deal with the (disgusting) consequences.

After she had cleaned up, she headed to the office of the Chief Distributor. His job was what his name implied - he distributed assignments to every soldier within the system and only responded directly to Kafara herself. She knocked on the Chief Distributor's office door before entering.

"I've been expecting you," said the Chief Distributor, who was in the middle of going through some files. On his stumpy nose rested a small pair of glasses. "You must be wondering why I nixed all your assignments. The reason is because you've been given a very special assignment."

"Oh? What kind of assignment? Enlighten me."

"Before I do that, Kafara wants me to pass a message onto you: Don't take the zoorian out again without her permission. Also, she thanks you for killing the Commandant. It saved her the trouble of doing it herself. The man really was quite annoying."

"Right. So what's my new mission?"

The Chief Distributor adjusted his glasses and read aloud from a hologram. "Ah, let's see here... Kafara has recently acquired a new prisoner working against the Empire and requests your assistance in guarding him."

Chaya raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Is he dangerous?"

"From what I've gathered, no. Not physically anyway; his power is a mere 150,000. But the man apparently possesses important knowledge and Kafara wants to keep him as," he cleared his throat, "a hostage for negotiation."

"Tch. Should have figured. Very well, I accept the mission."

"You didn't really have a choice."

Chaya pointedly ignored the Chief's correction. "Where is he being held?"

"On Prison Ship 2, Cell 14."

Prison Ship 2 was one of the adjoining ships connected to the main vessel, where all the soldiers and other staff resided. Like its cousins Prison Ships 1 and 3, it held criminals that had been declared threats to Kafara's constantly growing empire.

"Alright. I suppose I'll be guarding him all around the clock?"

"You'll be informed of breaks while on duty since Lady Kafara has not set any schedule for you, nor has she ordered me to set you one. Best of luck, Captain. Expect one of your squad members every now and then to replace you. The prisoner should be perfectly contained by now so I suggest you go down there now to attend to your duties."

Chaya nodded and saluted him, a gesture which involved folding her forearm over the area where her heart beat. "I won't let the Empire down."

When she left, the Chief Distributor glanced down at the prisoner's file. "Whoops, I forgot a few details. Gah... Must be my old age. I wonder how she'll cope when she discovers Lady Kafara has taken one of her own kind prisoner?" He squinted at the lettering. "Reeennsooo... Renso. Renso. Huh. Funny name, he's got."

* * *

"Oh, this is just peachy!" Bulma squawked, flailing her arms around as she searched for her notes. "Goddammit Vegeta, where did you put them?!" She had slept the entire night away and it was now early in the morning.

"Looking for these?"

Vegeta was leaning against the door frame, the door wide open so that the hallway light flooded their shared bedroom. He was holding some crinkled papers in one hand.

"Yes," Bulma said, a wave of relief washing over her. "Thanks for keeping them safe, Vegeta -"

"Quiet," the prince growled. He moved forward and shoved the papers into Bulma's face. "What is the meaning of this, woman?"

Bulma sagged a bit. "O _-_ oh, those? Haha... Funny you should ask -"

"Cut the bullshit and just answer me already. Stop stalling."

"You're so difficult," Bulma grumbled. "Will you at least let me take a shower first? I haven't bathed since yesterday morning. And that was only a quickie. I stink." She made a move toward the door but Vegeta did not relent. He grabbed her wrist - not hard enough to hurt her - and glared stonily at his wife.

"Bulma," he said sternly. "What's going on?" When she still hesitated he released her and said more gently, "Tell me."

With a small sigh, Bulma tugged on his sleeve and led him to the bed, where they both sat down. "Alright, you got me. It goes like this..."

Half an hour later, Bulma finally finished her explanation, telling Vegeta of what she and Tights had seen and what she had gotten out of Trunks yesterday. At the end of her elucidation, Vegeta merely stared at her.

Then;

"And you didn't think to tell me this sooner, woman?!"

"Hey! Listen buster, I just didn't want to worry anyone! We were having a party for crying out loud. It would have been the worst time to announce that there would be a possible apocalypse. I wanted to figure things out myself first before jumping to conclusions." She buried her hands into her face. "I finally got the pieces together when Trunks told me what he knew today."

There was a silence, during which Vegeta wrapped an arm around Bulma's shoulders and pulled her close to him. She was dreadfully cold, having worked herself to exhaustion for the past month.

"Foolish woman," Vegeta murmured, though it was more in an endearing manner than an insulting one. "You're not the only one playing the game. From what I've gotten so far, it involves all of us."

"I know..." She snuggled into the crook of his neck. "I'm sorry, Vegeta."

"Hn. According to Trunks, if Caulifla and Kakarot were to be apart, the timeline would screw up, no?"

"Apparently. I doubt he'd lie about that."

"There's probably other things we are not aware about. Our best bet right now would be to retrieve Caulifla from Universe 6."

Bulma looked up at her husband. "Who's going to go? Not you - you're supposed to be going to Beerus' planet for training today. So that leaves... Goku?"

Vegeta nodded. "The only option is that clown. Aside from the tin cans, Kakarot is the closest to her. Out of all of us, he'll be the only one capable of convincing Caulifla to return."

"Mm..." Bulma yawned. "I'm so tired... Can I shower _now,_ Vegeta?" She yelped when she felt Vegeta's teeth nibble on her ear. "Really, you want to do this now?"

There was a low growl and Bulma made a noise akin to a squeal and a laugh as Vegeta pushed her onto the bed.

* * *

"I'm home, Chi Chi!" Goku announced after an afternoon of plowing the fields. The tractor had broken down for the umpteenth time that day and Goku had had to take it for servicing, much to Chi Chi's despair. While the tractor was being repaired, Goku had instant transmissioned to Briefs, where he had been briefed (no pun intended) of his mission. Of course, Bulma (who had been basking in afterglow) had left out the detail where they needed him and Caulifla to be within each other's vicinity.

All day, Goku had pondered on how to break the news to Chi Chi. Though the excuse of 'the future of the universe is at stake' would probably move any other wife to let their husband go, Chi Chi was a entirely different story. Goku had to admit, his wife had her priorities extremely mixed up. He recited what he would tell her in his head from 'if it goes well, I'll be back within the day' and 'I'll dress nicely for Goten's primary school graduation ceremony' (which was in a few months time).

"I'm in here," Chi Chi called back. "If you're here for a lunch I'm afraid you're a bit early, Goku."

"Listen, Cheech, I have something to tell you." Goku pulled out a chair at the dining table and sat down, his brows knitting in a small frown.

Chi Chi faltered slightly but sat opposite her husband. "What is it, Goku?"

"I'm going to Universe 6," Goku blurted, inwardly kicking himself. _Yeesh... That sounded a lot better in my head._

Chi Chi scowled. "And why is that?" She narrowed her eyes. "Isn't that where Caulifla is from? Don't tell me... You want to see her again, right?!" Goku opened his mouth to retort but Chi Chi didn't let him. "So you'd rather go off gallivanting in another universe with _her_ than actually bring an income for this household? What Gohan sends us each month can't support us forever, especially since there's two _saiyans_ living here!" She spat out the word 'saiyans' as if it were a disease of some sort. "Do you know how many groceries I have to buy each day just for one meal?! All I ask of you is to stay home and get a few chores done. Plow the field. Sow the seeds. Harvest and sell the vegetables. It's not that hard, Goku!"

"I'm sorry Chi Chi, but things came up. You see, if I don't find Caulifla and bring her back, the universe might be in danger."

"You expect me to believe that? Especially since you're practically as strong as the gods. And speaking of them, they're not going to let anything happen anyway. So I suggest - no, I _order_ you - to stay home and get your job done!"

"Chi Chi," Goku started again, getting increasingly frustrated at her nagging. "This really isn't up for any debate. Look, all I'm asking is for a few hours to find Caulifla and bring her back. It's not much. I won't be staying away for seven years."

"Don't you dare use your previous mistakes to justify this one. Just don't, Goku."

"We had a message from the future," Goku tried again. "It was all messed up and everything."

"Then why hasn't Future Trunks warned us of anything, huh?"

"I don't know, but Bulma suggested that it was probably a different timeline since," he gulped, "you were still alive."

Chi Chi glared down at the table. "Fine. Let's say the universe really is in danger. Why does it have to be you who goes? Why can't Vegeta go? Or Piccolo?"

"I'm the best option since I'm the closest to Caulifla," Goku explained. When Chi Chi glared even harder, he hastily continued, "It'll only speed up the process! I'll be back selling vegetables before you know it, Cheech."

"Hrr... I don't like this, Goku. You just got back last night and now you're going again."

"Please, Chi Chi. I have to."

"You don't have to do anything. Everything could resolve itself."

"Chi Chi... You and I both know that's not going to happen."

Chi Chi looked like she wanted to say more but couldn't get anything out. Goku had won that one and they both knew it. But that didn't mean she had to give up. "I don't want you going, Goku. 18 is close to Caulifla too, right? They sparred all the time when Caulifla was still here. She can go."

"Both 18 and 17 are out of the question. It might get too dangerous for them, especially since we suspect that the threat is from Universe 6."

"Oh, of course," Chi Chi huffed, crossing her arms. "You just _have_ to be the hero again, don't you?! Haven't you saved the world enough already? Just let the others save themselves for once!"

"Chi Chi!" Goku admonished. "How could you possibly say that? If history plays out, then that means the threat's stronger than me, like Zamasu. As much as I hate to admit it, the others won't stand a chance, even with Vegeta and I around."

"Goku!" shouted Chi Chi, standing up and slamming her palms on the tabletop. "You are _not_ going and that is _final_!" She sat back down, wringing her hands together.

"No."

Chi Chi glanced up in disbelief. " _No?"_ she echoed. "What do you mean, _no?!_ "

"It's like how it sounds, Chi Chi." Goku stood up and started walking up the stairs. "I'm sorry, but I have to do this."

"Goku!" The chair screeched as Chi Chi threw it backward. "Goku, you come back here right now!" By the time she reached him, all his work clothes were on the floor and he was donned in his signature orange gi. "Goku!"

But he was already gone, having instant transmissioned to the Briefs', where Whis was waiting.

* * *

"From what Vados tells me, you saiyans are getting used to us angels as some sort of delivery system," Whis remarked as they flew through entire galaxies with literal godspeed.

Goku chuckled and rubbed the back of his head in typical Son fashion. "Yeah... Sorry 'bout that, Whis."

"Oh don't worry about, Goku. I'm already used to it, what with Beerus around. Is there anything you want to tell me? Like why you suddenly want to go to Universe 6?"

"It's kind of hard to explain. Bulma will fill you in, she's way better at articulating then I am."

"Oh, believe me, I know that."

* * *

In the same day as they had gottten back, Caulifla and Kale had parted ways with Cabba. The latter had returned to his duties and females returned to their former gang. It had been a particularly awkward and heartfelt goodbye between Kale and Cabba, one that was accompanied by an equally awkward embrace. Caulifla had merely given Cabba a short "good luck".

 _Will things ever be the same?_ Caulifla couldn't help but wonder. They had said their farewells a day ago and Caulifla could tell Kale was already missing Cabba's company. While Caulifla was busy reassembling her gang from Ayote's mistakes, she fully encouraged Kale to spend time with Cabba. The girl had left about an hour ago and had not returned since.

"Caulifla!"

Caulifla felt a small body wrap around her and blinked down at Kale. "Kale? What happened? Did you get to see Cabba?"

"They turned me away," Kale whispered. "I didn't want to leave... But they threatened to arrest me, sis." The girl started crying. "I should have faced them! I'm sorry I'm such a coward, sis!"

"Hush, Kale," said Caulifla, rubbing comforting circles on her protégée's back. "It's not your fault. You did the right thing. You are not a coward."

"I told them I was going to see Cabba but they still didn't let me." Kale wiped the tears from her eyes. "I'm crying again... I'm so weak...!"

"No!" chided Caulifla. "No, you're not! Stop putting yourself down Kale." She ruffled the younger girl's hair. "I wouldn't want to have you any other way, Kale. You're my beacon in the dark, remember?"

"Y-yes..."

As Caulifla comforted Kale, Cabba had just returned from a mission just in time for his break. Today he'd be visiting Renso. The saiyan elite held the retired captain in high esteem and couldn't wait to recall all of his adventures on earth to Renso.

"Where are you going, Cabba?" one of his fellow elites asked.

"To Renso," Cabba replied. "I have lots of things to tell him."

"Oh, okay. I haven't heard from him in a while. Tell him I said hi, okay?"

When Cabba arrived at Renso's house, he stood still in front of the door, wondering what to say to his former superior. _Renso is your friend,_ he reminded himself. _You don't need to make a speech to talk to him._ He smacked himself on the cheeks twice to calm his nerves. Then, exhaling deeply, he knocked on the door.

There was no answer, even after three minutes of standing around. He tried again, knocking louder this time. "Hello? Renso?" He knocked once more and the entire door flew off its hinges. "What the...?" Cabba picked up the door and examined it. It looked like it had been broken recently and then hastily repaired and put back in its place. Alarm instantly filled Cabba. He stretched out his chi senses but there was no sign of Renso anywhere in the house or near it.

Maneuvering cautiously, Cabba walked into the house. Nothing looked like it had been displaced. Renso's favorite kettle was sitting on the stove top. When Cabba opened it, he found tea leaves and a few drops of tea left in it. _Odd. He was obviously here last night. Oh no! What if fell over somewhere, couldn't get up and died?!_

It was only when Cabba surveyed the house again did he begin to pick up on details that he hadn't before. For one, the bed hadn't been slept in for a while, judging by how neatly everything was arranged. Renso usually spent most of the day resting on his couch or his bed. There were also some books left on the end table - Cabba knew that Renso couldn't bear to leave his books lying around. After reading them, he would always put them back in their original place on the shelf.

"What the hell is going on here?" Cabba muttered to himself as he continued to play detective. He looked underneath the bed and nearly hit his head on said bed when he saw what was a vital clue.

 _Renso's crutch!_ He leaned forward to drag the crutch from beneath the bed. _Renso never leaves home without it. He can't walk. And he never has enough energy to fly anymore._ That only left one option: Renso was taken. But by whom? What kind of person has business with a crippled man living by himself in the middle of the woods?

Cabba sweated and his hands grew clammy as he observed the walking stick he held. He had a bad feeling about this. Whoever had taken Renso meant business. And Cabba wasn't sure what kind of lengths they would go to to achieve their goals.

 _Please be safe, Renso._ Cabba gripped the crutch until his knuckles turned white. _I'll get you out of this._

* * *

 _ **A/N: The matter of Renso's disappearance will be further investigated by Cabba, Caulifla and Kale. And of course, we add Goku into the mix. If everything goes as well as it does in my head, this is where the fun begins.**_

 _ **For me, at least. Dunno about anyone else's pattern of thought.**_


	23. Blurred lines

_Thunder crashed as rain poured hard and mercilessly onto Sadala, a contrast to the droplets that were gently caressing Caulifla's bedroom window. Caulifla rolled onto her side to stare at the blackness outside. Though she would never admit it to anyone, her heart ached for Renso's return. She hadn't seen her brother since dinner and was already missing him; testimony to their close relationship._

He's probably waiting out the storm, _Caulifla thought as she restlessly shifted in her bed, her limbs tangled in a sea of blankets._ That's all. He'll be back tomorrow before you know it. Stop being a coward! You can survive one night without him. _She sadly glanced at the empty bed on the other side of the room._ He'll be back, _she told herself,_ he will.

 _An hour later, it was nearing midnight and Caulifla still couldn't sleep. Her eyes blinked owlishly in the darkness._ It's so dark and cold... Where are you Renso? _She couldn't explain it with words but there was a certain warmth Renso brought whenever he was inside a room. It was a warmth that Caulifla was far too adjusted to._ I am a proud saiyan. I need to stop this nonsense and go to sleep! _Caulifla growled in frustration and slammed the pillow over her head in an attempt to fall into sleep's embrace. It didn't work. The only result she got from it was that, if someone were to be able to see through the pitch black darkness, they would completely miss her and see only bedsheets and quilts._

 _When two hours had passed, Caulifla sighed and sat up on the bed._ This isn't going to work... But I'm so tired. _Numbly, she slid off the side of the bed, the feel of the cool wooden floor against her feet making her shiver as she left the welcoming warmth of her mattress. Half-asleep and completely exhausted from a long day of training and no rest, she shuffled like a sloth down the hallway, instinctively following a familiar pattern of twists and turns._

 _She arrived at the closed door of her parents room. She knocked once. Then twice. There was no response. So Caulifla simply yawned tiredly and opened the door herself. Like her own room, the bedroom of Lotuce and Garlik was totally pitch black. Occasionally, a flash of lightning would dimly illuminate the room for a brief moment, allowing Caulifla to blearily peer through hooded lids to catch sight of two lumps on the bed._ Mother... Father...

 _As she neared them, alarm bells started going off in her head, but she was far too fatigued to pay her instincts any heed. She had only one goal in that moment and that was to climb into bed with her beloved parents and finally get a good night's sleep._

 _She sniffed, her mouth moving upward in a slight scowl._ Dammit, my cold is back... _Her mouth gaped in a huge yawn._ Whatever... It'll be gone by tomorrow.

 _Caulifla glided her hands over the bedsheets as she climbed upon the mattress, pausing slightly when she felt something warm and slick on the fabric._ A leak in the roof? Father will fix it tomorrow. _With a small grunt, she crawled over Garlik's unmoving form to settle between her father and mother, pushing her face into Lotuce's back. Her mother was warm but the heat was slowly creeping away. Caulifla did not have the energy to wonder why. Instead, she yawned once more and snuggled against the small of her mother's back._ Goodnight, Father. Goodnight, Mother.

* * *

Caulifla sat up in her cot, sweating hard. She clutched her head in what seemed to be agony. _Shit... I thought I was over this._

"Sis?" Kale said sotto voce. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes groggily. "Is something wrong?" She lowered her voice. "Was it a nightmare?"

"No," Caulifla lied immediately. "Nothing's wrong, Kale. I just... I just can't shake the feeling that something's about to happen." Well, that wasn't a complete lie. That sinking feeling had been gnawing at her gut all day long.

"You don't have to hide it from me," Kale said pleadingly. "I-I'm here for you. I'll always be here for you, sis."

"I know that. But seriously, there's nothing wrong," Caulifla continued to deny. "Go back to sleep, Kale. We have a lot of things to do tomorrow. For one, we're going to find out why those elite snobs wouldn't let you see Cabba." _How dare they treat Kale like trash!_

When Kale had returned to Caulifla that evening, the latter had spent most of the night comforting the former, showing patience to the emotionally frail girl. _Stupid males,_ Caulifla had thought as she tucked Kale into bed. _All of them are useless..._

"O-okay," Kale said with a resigned sigh. "I'll see in the morning then."

Caulifla nodded, though she knew Kale would not be able to see the movement in the near pitch black darkness.

Half an hour later, Caulifla felt déjà vu overcome her as she tossed and turn in her cot. From the light snores she was hearing, Kale was already fast asleep. Though most saiyans slept like a rock - Caulifla included - Kale was an exception, being a light sleeper. Caulifla glared into the never ending blackness. There was no way she was waking Kale up again; at least one of them deserved some sleep.

Another hour had passed when Caulifla felt herself get drowsy. She smiled slightly. _Finally..._ But she was wide awake once again when someone started shouting downstairs, followed by a resonating _clang!_ Forgetting all about being silent for the sake of Kale getting some shut-eye, she snarled in frustration and threw the covers off, storming downstairs. _Whoever's making those infernal noises at this hour will pay!_

"What the hell is going on here?!" Caulifla demanded, trying not to sound completely sleep-deprived. "Who's making all that noise?" Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed that Kale had followed her down the stairs, clinging to the barrister.

One of her gang members, a short, stubby fat one, was standing in a sloppy fighting stance, obviously well on the way of being completely sloshed. An empty bottle of moonshine sat in one corner of the warehouse.

"An intruder," her subordinate slurred. "I-I was about to challenge him to a fight...!"

"You are clearly in no condition to fight," Caulifla told him. "You're dismissed." She narrowed her eyes and the intruder, who was shrouded in the darkness. "Come out of there."

The figure moved menacingly through the shadow and Caulifla tensed, preparing for a fight. Then he emerged into the dim lighting, a huge lopsided grin on his face.

"Hey, Cauli!"

Caulifla's fist landed right between his eyes. She sweatdropped when the shape of Son Goku flew into the wall. "What the?! Goku?!"

"Yowch..." Goku whined, rubbing the back of his head where it had hit the wall. "What was that for?"

"You come in here in the middle of the night and ask me 'what was that for'?" She crossed her arms. "Explain yourself, Goku. I am _not_ in the mood for bullshit tonight. Why did you come here?"

Goku sighed and sat down on a heavy box. "Something came up and I need you to come back to Universe 7 with me."

Caulifla glared. "No deal. I just got home and there's a lot of shit to be done around this place. Ayote screwed up massively and I have to clean up his mess."

"Will you at least let me explain why?"

"Hrgghh..." Caulifla grumbled. Though she would have loved to know why Goku had come, she felt as if she were going to keel over anytime. "... Maybe tomorrow."

Goku cursed under his breath. _I told Chi Chi I'd be home quick... Things aren't just going my way, are they? "_ Fine. But trust me, you'll want to hear what I have to say."

"There's a spare room upstairs," Caulifla told him. "Find it and do whatever you want. I'm going to bed." She glared at him frostily one last time before marching up the stairs with Kale in tow. _What's so important that he needs to come all the way here for?_ She groaned quietly and pinched the bridge of her nose. _Dammit. Things just keep getting messier and messier._

* * *

 _"Oh, aren't they wonderful?" gushed a female saiyan to her mate. "Look, Beet - Garlik and Lotuce are campaigning for a refugee camp to be set up in Sadala!"_

 _"That's old news, Fennel," Beet replied, hardly giving her a second glance. "We all know that already." He grunted. "Can't say for sure I agree with their ideas though. As if Sadala needs any more foreigners."_

 _Along with many other saiyans, the two mates were sitting in a tavern, Beet drinking a watery ale while Fennel rhapsodized Garlik and Lotuce. Most of them were talking amongst themselves until a newscast suddenly popped on the television._

 _The news anchorman was looking particularly grim as he announced a new story. Everyone's attention was on his frowning visage._

 _"A horrendous murder last night has left neighbors shaken and the Defence Squad stumped..."_

 _Fennel's jaw gaped in horror as the television showed a scene depicting a house covered in what could be considered police tape. She recognized that place. Everybody did - for Garlik and Lotuce were well-respected members of the community._

 _"Damn," Beet swore as the newscast continued._

 _"I-it can't be," choked Fennel, her eyes wide. "It just can't! Where's the justice in this?" She clenched her hand around her glass of beer until it shattered. "WHERE IS IT?!"_

 _Fennel wasn't the only one to react in such a way; others were showcasing similar sentiments to the murder._

 _"What will happen to the kids?" one saiyan asked._

 _"Dunno," said his companion, taking a swig. "The government will probably take care of that. Social services and whatnot."_

 _"Who cares?" added a third saiyan, more apathetic than the rest. "Bad things happen all the time."_

 _Fennel was about to up and pound the guy but Beet stopped her, grabbing her arm and shaking his head sternly. It wasn't worth the trouble. Fennel sat down and sighed, pushing away her beer, no longer thirsty._

 _"I... I think we should be grateful that it was not us, but them," Fennel said, tearing up at the sight of Caulifla's gaunt face as the authorities took her away in the backdrop. "Oh my god... I can't believe I'm saying this." Her eyes followed Caulifla until she disappeared outside the frame._

 _Beet sighed and hugged his mate. "You are right. We should be grateful." He pulled a locket out from underneath his shirt and clicked it open. An image of him, Fennel, and their five year old child, Cabba, grinned back, the latter having lost his front teeth the time it was taken. "We should always be grateful."_

* * *

"Another tragedy," a saiyan elite said, clicking his tongue as he walked down the hallway with his comrade. "That family can't catch any breaks, can they?"

"Right. And if Renso really is dead... That girl will be the last one. But no one knows where she is now."

They did not notice Cabba walking in the opposite direction as them, having overheard every word they had uttered. He glared stonily at the pair. "Watch what you say. Captain Renso is _not_ dead."

Cabba had brought the matter of Renso's disappearance to the Sadala Defence Force as soon as he discovered him missing and most of the patrols going out now were dedicated to searching for Renso, the Commander having a deep respect for the missing saiyan. Renso's house had now been turned into a police zone; officers worked hours on end to search for new evidence. All they had so far were some remnants of a fire; about a handful of ashes. Nothing they could connect to anyone.

"Right," the saiyan elite said reluctantly, not wanting to start any fights with Cabba. He walked away with his friend, leaving Cabba standing in the hallway by himself.

With a frustrated yell, Cabba slammed his fist into the wall, making a resounding noise. "Have I done the right thing by handing this over to the Sadala Defence Force? They've been getting nowhere...!" He pushed his forehead against the wall, the cool metal calming him. "Of course I have... Who else could I have turned to?" _Caulifla,_ a nagging voice in his head answered. _If the Sadala Defence Forces aren't pulling out the big guns, why should you stick around just to wait for them to give up?_

Cabba removed himself from the wall, breathing deeply. "Caulifla can fix this... She always does."

Ever since the tournament, he had been slowly losing faith in Sadala's military police. He had quickly learned that there were threats in the universe that they couldn't solve. The saiyans were strong but they were not invincible. It was a hard lesson for Cabba to take in, especially since he had dedicated his life to serving Sadala. So why did all his vows and promises suddenly feel so empty?

He wandered aimlessly down the hall as he pondered. _Why? So many unanswered questions..._

"Cabba!"

The saiyan in question turned around to see a chubby saiyan sauntering up to him. The saiyan - one called Groot - panted and wiped sweat off his temple. "Your mother's waiting for you in the lobby. She says she needs to see you about something important."

"Alright, thanks, Groot." _At this hour? Mother hates waking up early. The sun rose only two hours ago._

When he arrived at the lobby, he saw his mother sitting down and donned in black. She stared blankly ahead, obviously far away. Cabba observed her silently for a few moments before approaching her, clearing his throat slightly as he did so. "Mother. You came to see me?"

Fennel snapped out of her spacing out and smiled weakly at her son. "Y-yes, that's right, I did." She stood up and took her son by the shoulder. "Something happened while you were away."

"Is it important?" inquired Cabba. "No disrespect, but we're currently in the middle of an investigation and it's getting pretty swamped around here." _That and I need to tell Caulifla about this before she finds out from anyone else._

"Yes, it is important," Fennel said, sounding strained. "Your cousin, Parsley..."

"Parsley?" Cabba echoed. "I haven't heard from her in a while. I didn't get a single letter from her this month."

"That's just it!" Fennel said and she seemed to wilt. "Cabba... Parsley's dead." She buried her face in her hands. "She was murdered."

"What?!" exclaimed Cabba, shocked by the news. "H-how?! When did this happen?!"

"According to the letter your aunt got, last month."

"No..." Cabba started pacing. "It can't be! There's got to be some sort of mistake." _Parsley...!_ Never again would he see her smiling face as she ran from him through the fields and hid underneath the weeping willow tree. _You can't be dead..._

"There's no mistake. The letter they got had Kafara's seal on it. It's genuine." Fennel wiped a few tears away before reaching into her shirt pocket and pulling out a crumpled letter. "I have it right here."

"Kafara?" Cabba muttered as he examined the letter, each cold, formal word striking a blow to his heart. He glanced up from the correspondence. "Who's Kafara?"

Fennel's eyes, red from crying, widened slightly before she relaxed. "Oh. I'd forgotten that you didn't know. After Frost was dethroned, she took over his place as Empress. She's been keeping herself private so not much is known about her. Speaking of Frost... He's also dead. They found this... this _husk_ resembling him on Planet Virkulian. No one knows for certain how he died but it must have been very painful."

 _Good!_ A cruel part of Cabba screamed. _The bastard deserved it!_ "Hopefully she proves to be a better leader than Frost." _Her name sounds oddly familiar..._

"I suppose." Fennel tried smiling at her son but it looked more like a grimace. "I'm so proud of you Cabba." She pulled him into a hug. "You've grown up so fast; fighting alongside the gods even...!" Fennel took a moment to inhale his familiar scent before kissing his forehead. "But you'll always be my little boy to me."

"Mother," Cabba murmured, embracing her. "I... I missed you. Father as well."

"We missed you too, love." Fennel drew back, looking considerably more content than she did before. "Anyway, I just came to tell you that the funeral for Parsley is tomorrow. Be there, okay?"

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," Cabba promised. "Parsley... Tch, Parsley was too good for this world."

Fennel nodded and headed toward the exit. "Come over for dinner, tonight, okay?"

"Right. I'll see you there, mother."

* * *

She might as well be an insomniac now, Caulifla decided as she walked down a winding trail to the marketplace. She was dressed in a hooded cloak, not wanting to be seen for fear of being recognized as an outlaw. Not that she couldn't silence them, but she'd rather not have any trouble.

Caulifla had awoken before anyone else, even Goku, who was a known early riser when he could be bothered. She had even managed to get by Kale without any complications. Maybe Kale was more saiyan than she thought when it came to sleeping or maybe she had just been particularly careful.

Expertly waving through the dirt roads of the bazaar, she snatched up a few loaves of bread, dried meats and even whole roasts without the vendors, half-asleep or distracted, noticing. She had made her way through the entire market and was about to leave when a hand grabbed her shoulder. Instinctively, she turned around and flipped the saiyan on the ground, making him yell in surprise.

"W-wait!" the saiyan cried when Caulifla was about to give him a finishing blow. He held up a piece of bread. "I was just going to tell you that you dropped this."

Caulifla instantly relaxed, but not so much as to completely lower her guard. "Right. My apologies." She helped him up and took the loaf, brushing dirt off the carbohydrate.

"It's alright," said the saiyan. "We're all on edge around these parts, especially with the Sadala Defence Forces running around."

Caulifla's interest pricked up. "Oh? How come?"

"We~ell, you know most of us sell opium here occasionally -"

"That's not what I meant. Why are the Sadala Defence Forces roaming here? And don't tell me that they're actually bothering to shut down your secret drug stores. Some of the officers are known buyers themselves."

"Oh! Right. I'm not too certain on the details myself, but a former Captain living around these woods suddenly disappeared and they believe him to be dead. The crime scene is not very far from here, which is why we're all on edge. Can't have the do-gooders discovering our opium stash."

"Former Captain?" Caulifla muttered, having stopped paying attention to the saiyan. Cold dread filled her. _Renso?_ She walked away from the other saiyan, ignoring the sweet, underlying stench of opium hidden beneath stacks of spices. The food that she had stashed in her saddlebag suddenly seemed heavier than normal. She tried to ignore that sinking feeling in her gut. _So what if he's gone? Good riddance._

 _He's your brother,_ another part of her argued. _Yes, he has wronged you, but you are family. You know that he's not dead. The old bastard's too stubborn for death. You ought to do something about it._

Caulifla released a low growl and lifted off the ground, choosing to fly all the way home. _Cabba must know about this. So why hasn't he come to see me yet? I thought we were fri-_ She cut her own thoughts off before resuming where she left off. _Friends?_ She blinked against the wind in her face. Friends... What a strange concept. Though she was held in high esteem by her subordinates, there weren't many she called friends if there were any at all. Kale? No, Kale was more like family to Caulifla. More like family than Renso ever was anyway. And of course, there was the curious case of Son Goku. After what he'd done to her and everything they had shared together before that, she wasn't quite sure what she considered him. The lines between lover, friend, and enemy were all completely blurred.

She sighed through her nose. No use thinking about this now. That feeling was back again - the sinking one that told her something big and _bad_ was on the way. It was like a sort of sixth sense she and many saiyans shared. Perhaps it was because of their natural hunger for battle that had them on alert or the time.

 _Cabba better have a good explanation for all his screw-ups. Or else he can forget having any Cabba juniors running around. And I don't want to deprive Kale of future children._ She snickered darkly to herself. _That male better treat her right._

* * *

 _ **A/N: I don't know if anyone remembers Parsley but a cookie for you if you do~**_


	24. Warped minds

Goku smiled in bliss as he rolled over in his bed, his mind running wild with food fantasies. "That's right... Pour that maple syrup on my pancakes... You beautiful, beautiful woman that lives in my house." In his mind's eye, a faceless woman was doing just that - drizzling delicious maple syrup onto his banana pancakes. Now this was something he wasn't used to. Whenever he had this dream (which was almost every night) he would see Chi Chi's face not... This.

 _Weird,_ Goku's subconscious thought. _Maybe I should give her a hug and see what happens?_ As if he was operating on autopilot, Goku (in his dream) stood from the dinner table and wrapped his arms around the woman's petite, toned hips. "Good morning."

The unknown female turned around and suddenly her features became more familiar and prominent. Her hair suddenly turned into a mass of spikes and she scowled at him, obviously annoyed at his antics. "What's so good about it?"

 _What the?!_ Goku sat up in his bed, blinking sleepily in confusion. _That wasn't Chi Chi!_

It was a grey, cloudy morning, one which Sadala's yellow light couldn't penetrate. Goku made a rough estimate and concluded that it was still relatively early in the morning; the sun had probably risen only two or three hours ago. The smell of something cooking downstairs instantly wiped all traces of sleep away and he pulled off the covers, getting dressed and freshened up in only a few minutes. Chi Chi had instilled the habit into him - she hated it when Goku arrived downstairs sloppy and unwashed and constantly demanded he 'try again' when he did.

The looming threat was at the forefront of Goku's mind but he managed to push it back, wanting to enjoy breakfast before getting down to business. It wasn't going to be easy explaining this to Caulifla. If he hadn't fought so many battles with super powered androids, mutant grasshoppers and bubblegum monsters he would have a hard time believing it himself. Bulma had told him that he and Caulifla should 'stick together at all costs' but Goku had caught the underlying message in her words and it made his stomach coil with uncertainty. He had finished essentially promising Chi Chi not long ago that he would try more of a family man just a mere six weeks ago. Everything had seemed so simple then - now everything seemed to be getting more and more complicated as it went along. And all of this... All of this was centered around the female saiyan that he had not been able to push out of his mind: Caulifla.

Caulifla was confusing to say the least. Though she had insisted that it had only been sex, he knew that, deep down, there were some repressed feelings in both of them, though he was more open to sharing them. He had learned quickly that she was not one to subject herself to turbulent emotions, which was probably why he knew so little of her psyche. But he knew enough to relate with her on a more personal level. To put it in short; she was brash, hasty and tended to make judgement on first impressions; almost everything that he wasn't. They shared some traits but were also complete opposites. Like Vegeta, Caulifla was constantly on alert and never let her guard down (outside of the bedroom). He, on the other hand, had more of a relaxed, carefree nature, as Whis had noted.

Goku's nose led him to the kitchen, where a familiar someone was standing at the stove, heating a gigantic roast and frying a meat that seemed to be something similar to bacon, a favorite for Goku when it came to breakfast.

"Good morning!" Goku greeted with a grin, making the the female at the stove startle and whip around, pupils dilated in alarm. When she saw who it was, she did not relax. In fact, she seemed more on edge than ever.

"H-hello," mumbled Kale, turning back to the stove so that she did not face him. _Of course it's him..._ She glanced around the room. _Oh, sis, where are you? Please don't leave me here to deal with him by myself._

"Smell's good. What'cha cookin'?"

 _"Seluin."_ Hopefully that one word answer was enough to put him off. She had also chosen to roll her tongue in a particular manner, hoping that that might also intimidate him a little.

Of course, it did no such thing. "Wow! Like I said, it smells really good. Is it a delicacy around Sadala?"

"U-um, yes, it is. It's very expensive and tastes delicious." She hesitated slightly before scooping some of the fried meat onto a cracked plate. "D-do you want some?"

"Yes, please. And also, some of that roast if you don't mind."

Kale wanted to refuse him but couldn't will herself to properly do so. Instead, she just stood there, staring at Goku like a deer in headlights, the plate stiff in her hands.

"Kale?" Goku said. "Is everything okay?"

That shook the shy girl out of her stupor. "Y-yes. So-sorry about that... The roast... It's for Caulifla." _Please don't be too angry..._ Her mind flashed back to his irritated glare back at the tournament and she looked down at the ground, feeling slightly ashamed and afraid.

"Oh, that's alright then." Goku took a bite of the seluin and immediately broke into an even wider grin. "Hey! This is actually really good." He started shoveling the rest into his mouth. "You're a really good cook, Kale!"

Kale blinked in surprise at the compliment. She resisted the urge to shake her head in disbelief. "You really think so?" Caulifla had told her the same thing multiple times but Kale had always figured the older woman only said that to spare her protégée's easily hurt feelings. None of the others had ever gave her such a compliment if any. The best she had ever gotten out of anyone else was when Ayote told her that she had a special talent for deftly opening beer bottles. And now, hearing it from Goku... Kale beamed in delight and felt a few tears well up in her eyes. _He's not lying! He... He really believes that I'm a good cook. Oh, you were right all along Caulifla. I can do something! I can!_

"Hey, don't cry," Goku said gently, mistaking her tears of joy as tears of sorrow. "I'm sorry if I offended you in some way, Kale. If this is about the tournament, I apologize. I can get real serious when fighting and I don't like any outside help for my opponent or me."

"It's okay," Kale sniffed. "I had almost forgotten about that anyway. I-It's just that... You actually think I'm good at something? I-I find it very hard to believe, that's all."

Goku tilted his head to one side in bewilderment. "Well, I meant it. Heck, you can rival Chi Chi with this. It won't hurt to believe in yourself a little more, you know."

 _Believe in myself?_ Kale thought, the concept almost foreign to her. "What good will that do me?" she asked, genuinely curious.

Goku blinked at her. _Is she trying to make a joke? No... It looks like she's being serious. Man, she's definitely got things backwards._ "Believing in yourself can do a lot of good," he told her, trying to explain. "If you don't believe in yourself, you'll never be able to do anything in the face of a challenge or obstacle. Like, for example, in a fight, if you don't believe that you can win, then you won't." When Kale merely looked at him skeptically, he continued, "I once fought a monster called Majin Boo. He was real strong and actually managed to blow up the earth unlike all the other bad guys I'd fought before then. Me and Vegeta were at the end of our rope but..." He smiled up at the skylight of the kitchen. "We pulled through. You know why? Because, even when things looked bleak, we still held onto our pride and our confidence. It was what saved us." _That and we had a responsibility to revive our family and friends and restore earth._ But Kale didn't need to know that.

There was a brief silence and Goku returned to his plate of food to let Kale mull things over in the quiet. The only noise that penetrated the near deafening silence was the sizzle and pop of the huge roast as it cooked upon the stove.

"I feel like I'm living a battle with Majin Boo everyday."

Goku, with a mouthful of seluin, glanced upward at Kale's confession. "Come again?"

"I said... I said I feel like I'm living a battle with that monster you told me about everyday. Every... Every single day."

"Why's that?"

Kale didn't meet his eyes. "I... It's hard to explain. I-I feel like I'm a failure at everything I do. Even - no - _especially_ relationships." She bit her lip to try and keep herself from crying again. "I can't do anything right. It's what my father always told me. He always told me that the only thing I'll ever be good at is when I get a little older and..." She hiccuped as the first sob wormed its way out of her throat. "H-he told me..."

"He was wrong!" Goku stood up, suddenly vehement, though the effect was slightly marred by that fact that two half-eaten pieces of seluin fell from his mouth and back onto the plate. "Kale, I've seen you fight. You're amazingly strong, you just need to get things under control. And this?" He pointed to the seluin full of bite marks. "Delicious! A super-strong fighter _and_ a wonderful cook?" He laughed. "As far as I'm concerned, you're way better than I can ever hope to be."

Kale stared at him in disbelief, a trail of tears running down her face and gathering at her jawline. "W-what?" She sniffled. "D-do you really mean it, Goku?"

"Of course. I bet Caulifla tells you the same thing. I can't imagine her _not._ So why don't you listen to her a little more often?" He gave her a warm smile and gobbled up the rest of his food.

By now, Kale was full on crying her eyes out. _He means it! He really means it! And he's right! Caulifla does say these things but I'm always too stubborn to listen to her. I should listen to sis more often... But oh my gosh, he really means it! I... I am good at something. Father was wrong. I am good. I_ am. _I need to start listening to Caulifla and Goku now._ Her lip trembled. _I misjudged him... I thought he was just another male saiyan like the rest. But he's... He's like Cabba, almost._ She made up her mind. If Caulifla wanted to be mated with Goku, she wouldn't get in the way. Goku had been kind to her. Her, of all people! She was not such a fool as to not notice how annoyed people got at her constant crying. But he had been patient with her and showed her a rare kind of altruism that a lot of saiyans did not have.

"You are kind, Goku," Kale muttered, removing the roast from the stove and placing it on the counter-top to rest. "I severely misjudged you... I'm sorry." She knew that he could not hear her for she was far too quiet, but hoped he would know that she was sorry for holding a grudge against him. Kale stared at the roast before cutting a chunk of it off with a butcher's knife. She placed it on Goku's now empty plate. "Here. I'm sure sis wouldn't mind too much."

Goku stared at the slice of meat, salivating. "Are you sure?"

"Y-yes." She giggled softly. "Go on, Goku. I wouldn't want Caulifla's mate to starve."

The male saiyan choked. "W-what? Sorry, but you got the wrong idea, Kale. She and I aren't mates. I'm already mated to Chi Chi, my human wife."

Now it was Kale's turn to be puzzled. "I don't understand. I know that you and her have slept together. Saiyans are incapable of having sex with another being that is not their partner when they are fully mated."

Goku's brow furrowed and he stopped chewing the meat, choosing instead to stare at what remained of the chunk Kale had given him. "Are... Are there any signs that can tell a mated saiyan from an unmated one?"

"Oh, that's easy. A mated saiyan always smells like their partner." She tapped a place on her neck, looking a bit embarrassed. "There's also this really tender spot where they bite one another during the mating process. If the bond is complete, then they are bound to each other until one of them dies. Each saiyan has an individual pattern for their teeth, so, when examined closely, you can tell who belongs to who. Semi-complete bonds also exist. It's when they don't bite deep enough because of one reason or another. The mark fades after sometime and then they're free to," she blushed, "r-rut whoever they want."

"It makes sense," Goku thought aloud. "Bulma does keep wearing neck scarves nowadays." _Chi Chi doesn't have any kind of mark on her neck. I don't either. Which means we're not mated._ There had been times where he had contemplated giving her a hickey or two in bed near that special spot on the neck but he had always chosen not to in the end. It was as if some force was telling him not to. Up until this point, he had always thought it was his subconscious saying that Chi Chi wouldn't enjoy biting during sex. She was always one you needed to be gentle with in the bedroom despite her tiger-like personality.

In the other room, the warehouse door rolled open loudly, catching the attention of Goku and Kale. Then Caulifla walked in, a rosy flush on her cheeks from flying through the wind.

"Good morning," both Kale and Goku chanted at the same time.

Caulifla gave them a flat glance as she set her saddlebag down on the table, letting what she had picked up in the market spill all over said table. "Aren't you two cheery today?" She gestured to the skylight. "Doesn't seem like a good morning to me."

"It is to us," Goku replied. "Wanna know why? Because both of us smiled today."

Caulifla gave him a weird stare. "What kind of cheesy ass answer is that?" She looked at Kale expectantly but her protégée seemed to have an equally content smile as Goku's on her face. It was strange seeing her smile so widely but not an unpleasant sight. The girl looked beautiful when she smiled. Caulifla sighed through her nose. _If only she did it more often. But still. What's up with her? Not that I'm complaining._

"The truth," Goku retorted. "I have a feeling what Kale cooked up will make your morning better though."

Caulifla took one glance at the roast and her bodily needs were awoken. Her stomach grumbled loudly and she blushed slightly. "For once, I agree with you." Without waiting for an answer, she took the roast by its protruding bone and started eating, her sharp teeth biting and tearing into flesh. "You're a great cook, Kale," she said in between mouthfuls. "Look at how I'm eating this... Do you believe me now, huh?"

Kale nodded. "I do, sis." At Caulifla's surprised expression, she said, "I really do."

"... Goku," Caulifla addressed her former lover. "I don't know what you did, but I'm grateful as hell. I've been trying to convince her of her worth for years." She paused. "Thank you, Goku."

"Anytime. She just needed a push, that's all - needed to hear it from someone else for once."

"I'm different now!" Kale declared, sounding much more confident than she normally did. "I-I c-can do things. If I put my heart into it, I can." She blushed slightly and put her finger to her cheek in a show of slight embarrassment. "I-I think."

"Erase that last part," Caulifla scolded, twirling her breakfast in one hand. "As sentimental as it sounds, you're right."

"Caulifla's right," Goku agreed. "Don't listen to those who try to put you down."

"O-okay!"

* * *

Cabba clocked out and immediately set course for where Caulifla's hideout was located. His heart still ached, fresh from the wound his mother had indirectly inflicted on him. He had managed to get another day off from his work to attend Parsley's funeral thanks to his understanding Commander. There were many things he had to deal with right now, but the first thing he needed to check off his list was breaking the news of Renso's disappearance to Caulifla. There was a high chance that she already knew thanks to the fast-spreading gossip from her nearest bazaar but Cabba felt obliged to inform her anyway.

 _Parsley,_ Cabba thought with a heavy sigh. _I miss you. When was the last time we talked?_ It had been quite a while ago. Frost's, or rather Kafara's, ship had docked at Planet Sadala a few months ago and Parsley, who had insisted that he called her Yvonne for some strange reason, had recounted her adventures to him. They hadn't had much time to talk since she had had an appointment that day but he found himself now wishing he had treasured every precious moment he had spent with her. Sure, the girl had liked alcohol too much and was far too raunchy for his taste, but he still loved her. They had been family. They had had strong familial ties that could have only been broken by death. _And death didn't pull any punches, did it?_

Before he knew it, Cabba was standing in front of a looming, seemingly abandoned warehouse. He slid open the door and walked inside comfortably.

From what he could sense, all of the gang members were still asleep, save for Caulifla and Kale, who were both in the kitchen along with another familiar signature. _Wait... Goku? No way! What's he doing here?_

"Hey everyone," he said politely, grabbing all the attention.

Caulifla's expression flattened into a nasty scowl, Kale simply looked down shyly and Goku waved at him, a slab of meat halfway inside his mouth.

"Cabba," Caulifla said, her voice carrying a steely edge to it. "What brings you here?"

Kale looked back up hopefully. _Is... Is he maybe here to see me?_ She surprised herself with her own suggestion. That confidence boost had really done a number on her - just an hour ago she would not have even begun to contemplate such a thought.

"I have to tell you something, Caulifla," Cabba said, oblivious to Kale's disheartened look. "It's... It's about Renso."

"Tch, save it. I already found out this morning. How about that, huh?"

The atmosphere suddenly became stiff and uncomfortable for Cabba. "I-I see. Then you know what happened?"

"Enough to wonder why you didn't come to me first before sending incompetent officers gallivanting across the woods."

"Am I missing something here?" Goku interjected. "What exactly happened to Renso? Who is that anyway?"

"My brother, you could say," Caulifla responded. "He and I aren't close in case you were wondering. But still, it would have been nice to not have found out that he went missing almost two days ago by a second hand source." She gave Cabba a withering stare.

Cabba sighed dejectedly. "I'm sorry, Caulifla. But I had to take the matter to the Sadala Defence Force first. Renso is former military personnel, which makes it our business."

"What? Afraid of all the secrets he might spill about your precious police force?"

"It's not like that, Caulifla! Our first priority is his wellbeing."

"You never really denied by statement, Cabba. So what I said holds some truth, huh?"

Cabba opened his mouth to respond heatedly but Goku beat him to it. "Enough, both of you. We have bigger problems at hand here. We'll find Renso quickly and then deal with what comes next."

"What comes next?" Cabba parroted. "Are you saying that there might be something dangerous going on?"

"That's exactly what he's saying," Caulifla affirmed. "We talked about it before you arrived. Once we find my idiotic brother by _blood_ _and nothing else,_ we can focus on solving whatever new universal threat that's going to pop up in Universe 7." She snuck Goku a swift glance. "You told me that you have reason to believe that the threat will come from Universe 6. Why can't we nip the problem right at the source."

"We don't know who or what it is, first of all," Goku reminded her. "It'd be better to return to earth and train hard for their arrival." _That and Chi Chi wants me home, fast!_

"And what if they come to us first?"

"Then we'll just have to outplay them in their own game, don't we?"

The two of them stared off, their gazes full of challenge.

"Fine," Goku relented. "We'll stay and do a bit of digging. But it's not a good idea to make our presence known."

"I can live with that."

While Caulifla and Goku discussed things further, Cabba led Kale away to a different room. On his way to Caulifla's abandoned warehouse, he had contemplated on inviting Kale somewhere important and had finally made up his mind to do so.

"What did you need to ask me, Cabba?" Kale wondered, looking particularly drained. "Is it because we haven't seen each other in a while? I-If that's it, I'm sorry for not being there..."

"No, no, not at all," Cabba reassured her. "If anything, I'm sorry. Work and training are no excuse to ignore you. I'm really sorry, Kale. I know I promised you a movie, but... I think this might be more important to me."

"O-oh? What is it?"

"Kale... How do you feel about meeting my parents for dinner tonight?"

* * *

"How did you get this?" Niifa uttered in disbelief as Moblit handed her what seemed to be condensed dark purple chi in a bottle.

"Lady Kafara," was Moblit's answer. "She told me she made a breakthrough in something and wanted me to deliver this to you. She says to put aside the inter-universal travel project aside for now. You're to study this and keep it carefully stored."

"Right, right..." Niifa muttered, rolling the bottle in her hands. The chi winked at her. "It's dangerous. I just know it. My Lady must have great faith in our squad."

"She still needs it for something later, so try not to use it all up in your experimenting," Moblit advised.

"Got it. Thanks, Moblit."

* * *

Renso sat still in his cold cell, a modern structure with a very confined space. He wouldn't even be able to fit another person in there. Outside his cell, an alien guard had been posted. The frog-like alien had tried getting information out of Renso a few hours ago but to no avail.

"I'll take it from here, Lecyee," a crisp female voice ordered.

The frog-like extraterrestrial nodded his bulky head and removed himself from the vicinity with surprising agility for someone of his body shape and size.

Renso was relatively familiar with the female guard. She was a saiyan, just like him. Heck, if he looked closely enough, he could swear that she bore some resemblance to him too. Then again, that wouldn't be uncommon as, up until recently, it was not rare for a saiyan to take their cousins or siblings as mates. Many saiyans came from the same gene pool. She was likely to be distantly related to him.

He did not know what her name was. Her subordinates had only ever referred to her as 'Captain'. Renso had mused grimly on the fact that she carried the same title as he used to before his unexpected accident that left him crippled for life.

The female saiyan would occasionally ask him questions in her gruff manner but he never responded to her pithy demands. Other than that, they made no interactions. Judging by her silence, Renso could assume that she was regrouping her thoughts to try and penetrate the shield he had formed out of sheer willpower. He was worried that he might break.

The demon woman had said that she would extract the information out of him the night they encountered. He guessed that she already had the information she needed so why was he still rotting in his cell with a guard at his side? The saiyan woman didn't seem to know either. She had been purposely kept in the dark; was Kafara trying to play both of them?

Renso chuckled to himself. Very well. He'd humor the woman. For once, he couldn't wait until she began interrogating him once more.

* * *

 _ **A/N: Volleyball tryouts are tomorrow! I can't wait for that but what I certainly can wait for is my geography Research Action Plan (RAP) assignment. It requires me to go out and actually interview people about Waste Management.**_

 _ **You know what that means? Human interaction!**_

 ** _Oh noes..._**

 ** _OMAKE!_**

 ** _Something actually relavent to the story! A friend of mine (GoHaNViDeLSoN) recently gave me some insight into Caulifla's speech pattern in the Japanese dub. She ends her sentences with "ara~ ara~" a lot, which means "huh"? in English. So I've tried to implement that into this chapter._**

 ** _It's somewhat reminiscent of Marcarita's (Universe 11 angel's) speech pattern, except she ends her sentences with "desu~masu~" which is polite and formal._**


	25. Indecision

_**A/N: Anyone remember the 'L' stands for?**_

* * *

"Oh no," Kale muttered as she paced around the kitchen. "What am I going to do?" _What will I wear? What will I say?_

"Calm down, Kale," Caulifla advised, licking her fingers and dropping the bone of her devoured roast on her plate. "No need to overthink it so much, you know?"

Kale couldn't believe she had actually agreed to Cabba's proposal. Not only that, but she had spoken to him smoothly and clearly when accepting his invitation. He would be expecting her now. And what was she doing? Freaking out. She laughed nervously, glad that Cabba had left to attend some matters at home and would not be able to see her having a breakdown.

"I don't see what the big deal is," Goku said, leaning back in his chair. "We've faced bigger things before. Were you this afraid when it came to the Tournament of Power?"

"W-well, no. But that's different!"

When Goku gave Kale a perplexed look, Caulifla sighed and rolled her eyes. "I'll admit that you're a fighting genius but you're abso-fucking-lutely clueless when it comes to the female mind."

"Hey! I'm pretty sure I'll understand better if Kale explained things a bit more. But right now I can't see how she managed to cope with a do-or-die battle royal and not a visit to Cabba's."

"It's just different," Kale said desperately. "What if his parents judge me? What if they don't accept me?" She paced even faster. "What will it mean then for our... umm..."

"Relationship?" Goku suggested.

"I guess... But, well, we're not exactly romantically involved..."

"Yet," teased Caulifla. "But look at yourself, Kale. Worrying over a silly dinner date with some old birds. It shows you genuinely care about Cabba if you value his parents' opinion so much."

"I second that," added Goku. "Chi Chi did the same thing before I reminded her that my parents are dead."

"Well, you're a real ray of sunshine, aren't you?"

"Pfft, says you." Goku stuck out his tongue at her childishly, causing her to growl softly and do the same. Goku raised an eyebrow at her. "You have to admit though; I'm right."

"Whatever." Caulifla turned her attention back to Kale. "Point is, you care. And because of that, I'm willing to help you. But be warned, Kale, there's little advice I can give you on this matter."

"I'm here too," Goku offered. "If you ever need help."

"Thank you," Kale said with a sigh of relief. "But I think I'll try to figure things out myself first."

"That's my girl!" crowed Caulifla, grinning at her protégée.

Kale nodded timidly and made her way upstairs to the room she shared with Caulifla to gather her muddled thoughts. As soon as she was gone, Caulifla's gaze hardened into a steely glare again.

"Don't... Don't talk to me like that," Caulifla said. "And don't treat me like... we're friends. That façade I put up for Kale was draining enough."

Goku sighed heavily. "You know, we can still be friends. I know what we shared was wrong but... It was a two-way street."

"Tch. That's not what I hate most about you. I'm well aware that it was a shared decision. But the fact that..." Her lip curled into a snarl. "You went crawling back to that... that _woman_ infuriates me."

"We've talked about this before, Caulifla," Goku said, a warning tone in his voice. "She's my wife."

"That doesn't mean jack to me. You are not mated with her, nor do you truly love one another. How can you not see it? Is your skull really that thick? Even I can see it, Goku... The love you share, if one could even call it that, is forced to the point of being materialistic."

A low growl emitted from Goku's throat. "You don't get to decide that. You know, Caulifla, I'd appreciate you more if you'd stop trying to shit on the name of wife every five seconds."

"And I'd appreciate it more if you'd just man up a little! Stop letting her control your life."

"What Chi Chi and I share is mutual; neither of us control one another as you put it. If it was, then we wouldn't be having this conversation right now!" _Is it?_ a voice teased in his head. _Don't you remember what you told yourself the day you left her?_

"I wish! But look's like we are anyway. What're you going to do about it, _Goku?"_

The male saiyan stood up from his seat and Caulifla felt her heart momentarily stop before resuming. She had almost forgotten how tall he was; how much he towered over her. In one swift movement, he had her pinned to the wall. The harsh impact of her back hitting the wall made the entire dingy kitchen shake. Her eyes widened slightly. _Wha... What does he think he's doing?_

"What do you want me to do about it?" Goku inquired, staring her straight in the eyes, onyx meeting onyx.

For once, she was at a loss for words. But she quickly regained her speech. "What the fuck do you think you're doing?" she demanded, her voice breathy.

"I could take you right now and you wouldn't be able to do anything about it," he observed darkly. He shook his head. "But I'd never do that, Caulifla..." He stepped back. "Sorry about that. I don't know what came over me." _Liar. What did Bulma call them again? Pheromones?_

A small smirk slowly etched itself onto Caulifla's visage. "Oh you don't know, huh? Because I think I do." She looked like she was about to jump him but then sighed. "But that wouldn't be the best idea right now. Since we both obviously have tension building up like a pressure cooker in our bodies..." Caulifla cracked her knuckles. "How 'bout a spar?"

"You're on."

* * *

Goku and Caulifla landed in a clearing behind the latter's hideout, their bodies fizzing with unreleased energy and excitement. The wind blew hard as the two fighters gradually powered up, a flare of white aura surrounding their bodies.

"You know," Caulifla called. "We shouldn't go totally overboard on this. I don't want my home or the forest destroyed."

"Got it," Goku affirmed.

With that, they continued to stare each other, their eyes sharp and determined to identify any lapse of concentration within their opponents. Caulifla moved first, her body flooding with what could only be described as pure ecstasy as her punch struck Goku's broad chest, sending him flying backward.

 _Impressive,_ Goku had to admit, _It's been so long since we fought. Does she realize how much stronger and faster she is this time around?_ The air whistled as he shot forward and launched a merciless assault on Caulifla. She blocked most of them but one of Goku's hits would strike her on occasion.

With a low growl, Caulifla backflipped, curling into a ball before unfolding herself upon descent. Shifting her weight on one foot, she managed to evade a few more of Goku's attacks before he bombarded her with circular chi blasts. She raised her arms up, her flesh stinging as she tried to protect herself. When the energy attacks stopped, she moved into another defensive stance, ready for Goku to try and pummel her. Instead, what she saw a minefield. The chi blasts that had not hit her were now levitating in the sky, glowing dangerously. Caulifla glared at her opponent. "What is this?"

"Just a little something I picked up during the tournament," was Goku's single, infuriating response. "HYAAH!" With a commanding kiai, all the floating balls of energy began to torpedo Caulifla, ripping through her hasty defences.

"Hrrgh..." Caulifla snarled as she squeezed her eyes shut to protect her irises. _Come on,_ she coached herself, _You've got this..._ She threw her arms forward, smacking Goku's own attack back at him and forcing him to dodge by flying up into the air. Then she began her counterattack, throwing red discs of energy at him. While he was distracted, she zipped up right next to him and nailed an uppercut before kicking him harshly into the ground. She could have sworn she felt the atmosphere waver when she did so.

When the dust cleared, Goku was standing in a saiyan-shaped crater and glowing gold, a smirk on his face. With a battle cry, he rocketed toward Caulifla and backhanded her, swifter and much more powerful than he had been before in his base form. She quickly transformed into her own super saiyan form, her spiky hair becoming more defined as it underwent the transformation. Just in time too; she would not have been able to catch his punch otherwise.

They both lashed out at the same time, their fists meeting with a resounding boom. Caulifla bit back a scream as she felt nearly all the bones in her hand shatter. _What?! How?!_ She got her answer when the wind whipped her golden bags to the side. Goku levitates before her as a super saiyan three. She stared at him, baffled. _Impossible. I didn't even see him transform._

"You alright there?" Goku asked, dropping out of super saiyan three and landing on the ravaged ground alongside Caulifla. "I might have put a tiny bit too much power in that last one."

"Do not mock me," Caulifla said through gritted teeth, her broken hand hanging limply to one side. She surveyed the area. "Tch. Looks like we went too far anyway." Goku frowned slightly when she gave him a sharp glance. "Seems like we have the tendency to do that. Go too far, I mean."

"You just perfectly demonstrated that," Goku told her wryly. He stared her hand. "We need to get that treated. I brought sensu beans along with me. They're upstairs, in my room."

Caulifla glared at the ground, not at all eager to receive medical treatment from the man who was constantly leaving her in the dust in more than one field. If only she could attain super saiyan blue...

"Caulifla?"

The saiyan in question broke out of her thoughts. "Right. Thanks, I guess. You don't really need to, though." She grimaced at the injury. "This was as much as my fault as it was yours. I should have noticed the vast power difference. Instead, I let myself get too distracted by the fight."

"Maybe," Goku noted. "But it's just another thing for you to look out for in the future."

Caulifla was mildly surprised by his nonchalance but didn't show it. Somehow, it had been like she was trapped in a different time and chained by her Warrior's Honor to train with Frost. She quickly shooed away those thoughts. Those were memories from long ago and something she preferred not to dwell on too much. That was not her. That person had died somewhere in time. Goku was not her trainer anymore, Caulifla reminded herself. She should not have expected him to scold her for her carelessness.

As they flew back to Caulifla's hideout, which was only a short distance away, Goku let out a low whistle when he saw the damage they had caused. Everything within a five kilometre radius had been levelled. Trees had been uprooted and a nearby billabong of sorts was now reduced to a small puddle, most of the water having been evaporated by the amount of energy being exerted or simply blown away.

In the hideout, they could sense Kale inside her room, moving about. She was likely pacing the floor again. Caulifla shook her head.

"If she keeps doing that she'll wear a hole in the ground," Goku remarked before she could say anything.

"I wish there was some way to calm her down," Caulifla said with a sigh, trying her best to ignore the throbbing in her wounded appendage. "I should probably go see her later."

Goku nodded and they both entered the guest room where he was staying. As promised, a small pouch of sensu beans sat on the bedside table. Caulifla never thought something so mundane looking would look so lovely in her eyes. Soon, she'd stop feeling that dreadful, aching pain in her mangled hand. She glanced down at it. There was actually a shard of bone poking through her palm.

 _Well shit,_ was her first thought. Then; _Tch... I'll catch up soon enough._

"Wow, I really did a number on you," Goku said, really noticing the full extent of the damage he had done to her metacarpus for the first time. "A sensu will knit all your bones together but it might be a while until you can get used to it being totally functional again." At Caulifla's glare, he shrugged. "Sensu beans have a limit too, you know. For one, they can't restore lost limbs."

"I would hardly call this a lost limb." Caulifla winced quietly as her hand jostled the fabric of her pants.

"The damage is still bad enough. Got any bandages?"

Caulifla nodded. "I keep medical kits almost everywhere in the house." She rolled her eyes. "The boys like roughhousing a lot. We get broken limbs almost every week. There should be one in that drawer over there."

Once she had eaten the sensu, Caulifla sat on the bed with her hand outstretched while Goku fished for a roll of bandages from its place. Her traumatized hand was starting to become numb when Goku found what he was looking for and started bandaging the injury. He worked in silence, expertly wrapping the first layer of tape and then dressing it with a fuzzy tourniquet.

"Sorry," Caulifla heard him mumble. "I shouldn't have hit so hard."

"Stop apologizing," she snapped irritably. "I'm not some fragile fairy princess for you to protect. I don't know if you remember but I was deemed worthy enough to fight in the Tournament of Power as well." She tried flexing her hand. "So what if you're a god? We'll be evenly matched before you know it."

"I'm not a god," Goku corrected, sitting down next to her. "And achieving super saiyan blue requires a lot of training."

"Yes... Something that you were unable to provide."

"Caulifla. We've been through this."

Caulifla sneered at him and his unwillingness to budge. "Oh, come on. Why don't you take those rose lenses off and actually look at your relationship from a more objective point of view, huh?"

 _I already have!_ Goku wanted to tell her. Instead, he frowned at the wall. Then, to his own surprise he repeated it aloud, "I already have. The day I left for Universe 6." He sighed heavily. "Look, Caulifla. I can't just leave her. It... It isn't right."

"... Do you still love her?"

There was no hesitation on his part. "Yes. But... Gah, it's hard to explain. Does this make sense: I love her but not like the way I used to. It's... It's like I love her less every day." He expected her to snort with laughter and berate him for being so confused about this new development in his and Chi Chi's marriage. What he did not expect was her response.

"It makes perfect sense." Caulifla turned her head to stare him straight in the eye. "So what is it that you want, Son Goku?" _Is it me? I can see it in your eyes. You're terrible at hiding things._ There was another question that remained unanswered. _What about me? Is it you that I want?_

There was a pregnant pause.

Caulifla was about to say something else for further prompting when she felt his lips press down on hers. Unlike last time, it was not rough or demanding. It was soft with just the right amount of passion in it. Despite her resolve, she couldn't help but moan softly as he nudged her onto the bed. This was... Different. Last time, it had been little more than a quick fuck. But this... _What is this?_ Caulifla wondered.

He climbed on top her before halting. Goku stared at her pleasantly flushed face and noted how her bangs curtained her face in an almost angelic manner. At least it would have been so if she didn't smirk at him, her eyes filled with challenge.

"What?" she said. "Losing your nerve already?" She sat up and swung her legs around his hips, her breath hitching slightly as she felt his bulge beneath his gi. "Shame. I was expecting more after last time."

Her words reignited the fire in him. Goku snarled in an almost primal manner as he grappled her shoulders, pushing her down roughly. "Are you kidding?" He chuckled darkly. "I'll fuck you until you won't be able to walk."

"Hah! Try me!"

Faster than the human eye could follow, clothes piled up on the floor and Caulifla was pinned to the bed.

 **L**

In one swift motion, he entered her, making her breath hitch once more as he felt him invade her. She let out a small, breathy laugh as she thought back to the first time they had done the deed. They had agreed on no foreplay for the sake of quick relief but had ended up going back on their deal. And now? She was being rutted like there was no tomorrow.

 _It's even better than last time,_ Caulifla couldn't help but think. _But hell as if I'm going to let him do all the work._ A growl escaped her throat as she pushed back against the mattress and reversed their positions. "Not today, Old Man."

"Oh?" Goku looked at her in amusement.

With a small shout, she turned super saiyan and they both felt a wave of pleasure. "It's time for payback."

 _Shit,_ Goku cursed in his head. _If she keeps this up, I won't last long._ He glared up at her, as she rode him to oblivion, his gaze a mix of lust and frustration. _There!_ He caught her off guard and flipped her to the side while transforming into a super saiyan as well. _Gotcha._

"What -" She was cut off as he thrust into her once more, the act even more pleasurable now that he was literally fucking her sideways. Caulifla reached up and curled her arms around his body, digging her nails into Goku's back, leaving a succession of red scratches behind as she ran her fingers down the small of his back. _Fuck..._ He slammed even harder into her and she felt herself stretch, her hips aching painfully. _Is he trying to fuck me or break me?!_ She swore loudly as the tension pooling at her abdomen became nigh unbearable. With a cry, she transformed again, climaxing just as her hair spiked up even further. Caulifla soon realized that she wasn't the only one affected by her own transformation when she felt something warm fill her.

 **L**

"A warning would have been nice," Goku said dryly.

"Like you would have given me one."

He smirked at her. "By the way, it was you who came first."

"Oh, fuck you."

"You just did."

Caulifla rolled over. _I'm fairly sure that I gave him more pleasure in that little fuck session than his wife did their entire marriage._ "Did you enjoy that?"

"Would you believe it if I said 'no'?"

"No."

"Then, yes, I did," Goku got up and started to dress. "Caulifla, what are we?"

"Hmm? I don't know. What kind of question is that, huh?"

Goku knitted his brows together in a slight glower. "Don't be so coy. It doesn't suit you. You already know that Chi Chi and I are having problems," he stated bluntly. "And I don't know if I want to return to her after all this is over." He grimaced as he remembered how she had kept an even tighter leash on him during the past month. Still, saying it out loud took a huge weight off his shoulders.

"You want my advice? Don't go back. Look, don't get mad when I say this. She treats you like a pet. And you allow her to do so because you're blinded by the _love_ you share." She spat out the word 'love' as if it were a disease. "It's not real, Goku. I don't care if it was once upon a time, but it's not anymore." Caulifla picked up her discarded clothing from the floor and began to clothe herself as well. "As for what we are... I don't know either. Why don't we save that question for another time?"

"We'll have to answer it sometime," Goku pointed out.

"And I opt for answering it later." She flopped onto the bed, pulling Goku down with her, her hips cramping slightly from the earlier abuse. "Right now, I'm tired... I hardly got any sleep last night." She did not protest when Goku wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close to his chest.

"I'm here," he told her. "You don't have to worry about anything."

Caulifla could feel herself getting drowsier but she fought against her fatigue. _... How does he know that something's bothering me?_ She did not get to ponder on it any longer when she felt sleep envelop her.

Goku sighed as he held the sleep-deprived saiyan. "Sleep well, Cauli."

* * *

 _ **A/N: There you go. Another lemon. To be honest, I don't enjoy writing them too much as 1. I can't do it well and 2. I find it somewhat awkward so don't expect a lot of these. I try not to make my lemons too detailed from here on out because I'd be pretty fucking pissed if the story got removed for that.**_

 _ **Next time, we'll be seeing Kale and Cabba on their dinner date with Cabba's parents and I'm going to write in the funeral for Parsley as well. Then, from there, the plot will really start moving faster than it is now (hopefully)!**_

 ** _This weekend the SMASH anime convention's going to be hosted and they have a DBS exhibit there! I really want to go... We'll see... ;-;_**

 ** _Thank you so much for all the reviews. And I noticed I'm going to hit 100k words soon._**

 ** _Wow._**

 ** _This is actually surreal._**

 ** _Also, if anyone's actually interested in how the things from last chapter's AN went here you go:_**

 ** _1\. I did not get into the volleyball team. Which sucks and I was actually quite upset about it for a bit before getting over it. This is actually the first time I've been rejected (every new season we have to try out again). Also, I jarred my finger botching a set and it still hurts like a bitch. Not used to setting at all... Nor do I like it... Prefer to play libero. Not particularly tall either (my head doesn't even reach the bottom of the net!); I can't block any attacks because my fingers only just surpass the top of the net when I jump (':_**

 ** _2\. Human interaction actually went pretty well. I only stuttered a few hundred times._**

 ** _Talonsen: Thanks for the correction (:_**

 ** _Gr3ninja: Wow, really?! I take this compliment particularly highly since English is not my first language and I did not learn it until I was about 6 or 7 years old. If you're curious, Cantonese is my first language. And wow, you're right. It's already been a month since this story was first published. Even I didn't remember that. But then again, I have a tendency to forget my own birthday so that's not really unusual for me._**

 ** _Time for a little self-promotion... I have another story uploaded in the Super category. It's a Gohan/Videl oneshot. Give it a shot, if you want. Idk._**

 ** _Phew, this was a long-winded AN. If you stuck with me this long, thank you! It means you actually somewhat respect/are interested in me enough to look at what I have to say._**


	26. Meet the Parents

_**A/N: Yes, they have phones, or at least some variation of it! Universe 6 saiyans are very likely to be much more advanced than the Universe 7 saiyans were.**_

* * *

Fennel pored over paperwork, making changes and deletions where it was needed. She shuffled the pages, one catching her eye. The female saiyan glowered at the print slightly. Personally, she did not like the funeral home that Amara - Beet's sister - had chosen for her daughter. Granted, the company in question guaranteed the best service in their flashy advertisements, but that fact in itself gave away their second-rate amenity. Cabba's mother sighed; it couldn't be helped, she supposed. Amara... She was not in the right state of mind. One might even go as far as to call her mad. _Mad with grief,_ Fennel amended. _They say time heals all wounds... But that would be presuming that grief is finite._ She pressed down hard on her pen, ink dripping through the pages. It was already too late for the funeral home to be changed; Amara had already met with the arrangers, prepared the relevant paperwork and had the body transferred - not that the childless mother had done much talking, relying on her mate to be her proxy.

"Again? Really?"

The flat voice of her mate broke Fennel out of her stupor. "What?" she said defensively. "Is there a problem?"

Beet, standing at the doorway of the study room, shook his head. "You go and cope however you want. But I will not have you overworking yourself. Have you forgotten what Cabba said earlier?"

"Of course not. It's not yet evening. We still have time."

"Fennel..." Beet glanced up at the digital clock embedded on the wall. "It's nearly sunset." At her horrified expression, he sighed. "You really need to stop losing yourself so much... It's a hassle."

"Oh no," muttered Fennel, pushing her chair back and standing up. "Oh, no, no, no..." She groaned, palming her face in frustration. "What have I done?!" She removed her hand, allowing Beet to see the dark bags visible on her visage. "I-I haven't prepared anything, nor have I cleaned the house -"

"Enough!" Beet said sternly. "No more of that. I've taken the liberty to do those things myself with Carago's help. All you need to do is freshen up and get some rest before they arrive."

"Oh... Oh, Beet, why didn't you call me? Pull me away from... From whatever the hell I've been doing!"

"Coping? Fennel, how could I possible tear you away from that?" He moved forward and wrapped his considerably smaller mate in his broad arms. "Amara is not the only one that is grieving, yet we leave her to it. You should be granted that same privilege."

"Hrggh... Why should that be? I hate it...! I hate this feeling." Fennel looked up desperately at her partner, her eyes silvery with unshed tears. "How do I make it go away? How do I make it go away, Beet?!"

Beet merely held her patiently as she sobbed into his shirt, demanding an answer from him. He ran a large hand through her hair and she shivered at his touch before being comforted by it.

There was a period of silence before Fennel pulled away from him, wiping her tears away. "God, I am pathetic... Please... Tell me, Beet, how do I make it go away?"

"You can't," Beet told her gently. "Grief is the price we pay for love, my dear."

She pouted almost childishly at him. "Then what is the use of love?" she demanded.

Beet sighed through his nose. "Believe me when I say this, Fennel... The pain of grief is but a mere shadow compared when compared to the pain of never risking love."

Something buzzed, the sound muffled by fabric, and Beet pulled out a rectangular object about the thickness of the average hand - one inch. "Cabba left a message," he informed his mate. "He's picking up the girl he wants us to meet right now. They'll be here in about thirty minutes."

"Only thirty?" Fennel said in disbelief. "Have you got the dinner table set up, Beet?"

"Yes. Now what _you_ need to do -"

"Yes, yes, I know! You've already said it once, Beet. Go make sure everything is in order, will you, please?"

"Tut tut... So demanding."

For the second time that day, she felt genuine happiness course through her body, more determined than ever to think so much about the misery but rather the beauty that remained.

* * *

She decided that, right there and then, that this was going to be one of the worst and best decisions she had ever made in her life. All afternoon, Kale had been left alone to ponder over her situation. When she had gone to Caulifla for help, she had found her resting in the arms of one Son Goku, who, conveniently, was also asleep. Kale was no fool - saiyans, especially one sleep-deprived as Caulifla - slept like rocks. She had even gone as far as to poke them both in the cheek but neither of them budged.

"What will I say?" Kale muttered to herself as she halfheartedly looked through her closet for anything appropriate to wear. She had a feeling that something like the dress Bulma had lent her for the 'Celebration of Existence' party would be going too far. Her current attire, the one she normally wore, on the other hand, wouldn't be good enough for such a prestigious meeting.

 _Hold up,_ Kale thought. _Since when was this a prestigious meeting?_ The phrase literally sent shivers down her spine, terrifying her even more. _Calm down, Kale... You can do this! Goku and Caulifla believe in you._ She inhaled deeply before exhaling in a similar fashion.

"It's only a meeting between my fellow saiyans," Kale coached herself, attempting to sound as diplomatic as possible. "There's absolutely nothing to worry about. Nothing at all."

"Does it help?"

Kale startled as the door swung open, Caulifla stepping inside, looking well rested. "Oh, sis! You're awake. Where's Goku?"

"I left him in the other room," was the flippant response. "And before you ask, I tried waking him up. It didn't work."

The normally shy saiyan giggled. "Did you try cold water?"

Caulifla's eyebrows raised, impressed by her suggestion. "I have to say Kale, I'm really liking your style." She grinned wickedly. "Any other ideas?"

"No... Sorry, sis. Maybe I would if I could just stop thinking about this evening so much."

"Not this again. You seemed like you were doing fine just then, you know?" Caulifla put a hand on Kale's shoulder reassuringly. "Everything will be fine. You just need to get a hold of yourself."

"Will I be expected to act in a certain way?" Kale asked worriedly. "I don't know what I should say to them! They're highborns, sis. What if I sound uneducated?"

"Kale!" Caulifla reprimanded sharply. "If they don't like you then it's their problem. If I know, Cabba, he won't let anything as trivial as disapproval stop him from being together with you. And don't even start. You like him and he likes you. It's simple, Kale. I swear, why can't you two just admit it to yourselves? It's going to happen sooner or later."

Kale flushed, her face turning tomato red. "I-I-I...!"

"Tonight," Caulifla said. "I want you two to be together tonight."

"And if we don't?" Kale's eyes widened fearfully. "Y-you won't kick me out or anything, will you, sis?"

"Tch. Of course not." The older saiyan gave Kale a much needed hug. "We're family, Kale. And family stick together, _no matter what_. So what if I don't get my wish? I just want you two to move a little faster with each other... But to each their own, I suppose."

"I'll do my best," Kale promised, standing a little straighter. "I just need to figure out what to wear now."

Caulifla eyed the attire inside the closet. "Hmm... Those frilly dresses won't do... Why did I even buy them again?" She started rummaging through the closet, her hands swiping each dress aside deftly. "No... No, no, no..." After five minutes of searching, give or take, Caulifla pulled out an old maroon sweater that was still in wearable condition and a tan pencil skirt. "There we go."

Kale backpedaled slightly, having expected a more flashy garment to be fished out of the closet. "No dresses?"

"Nah. No need to be so formal, it's only a dinner at their house. Who cares if they're higher borns? From what I've heard from Cabba, they like to integrate with those," she struggled to find a word, "lesser than them in the social hierarchy, you know?"

"R-right!" She quickly changed into the attire Caulifla had picked out for her before examining herself in the mirror. The outfit fit snugly on her, hugging her curves while giving her a conservative image. "How... How do I look?"

Caulifla opened her mouth before closing it. "Speechless."

A faint blushline appeared on Kale. _Speechless good or speechless bad?_

"You look wonderful!" Caulifla praised. "I've really outdone myself, heh. You should let down your hair too, if you want."

Kale moved her hand up to where her hair tie was, tapping it with her finger contemplatively. "Umm... I think I'll leave it up this time."

"Whatever you want." The older saiyan smirked at her protégée. "Cabba's going to bust a nut when he sees you."

"Sis!" cried Kale, turning redder than ever. "D-don't s-say that!" _He wouldn't!_

"Okay, okay. I was just teasing, Kale." Caulifla perked up as she was alerted by an approaching power level. "Ah... There he is now. Right on time. Come on Kale, let's go greet him!"

* * *

Cabba did not know what to expect when he rolled the warehouse doors to the side. What he definitely didn't expect to see was an goddess staring back at him with her dark angel by her side. While the angel undoubtedly lovely in her own way, Cabba only had eyes for the lovely goddess dressed in a such alluring attire. It wasn't as if her outfit was revealing - far from that actually - but... Cabba inhaled. _Beautiful._

"Hey, Cabba!" called Caulifla. "Are you just going to stand and stare?" She nudged Kale forward.

"S-sorry!" Cabba said hastily. "Where are my manners?" He walked up to them, keeping his eyes fixed on Kale. "You... You look stunning," he said, his breath hitching slightly.

Kale blushed and looked down. "T-thanks."

There was an awkward pause before Caulifla thumped them both on the back. "Come on, you two! Off you go; don't want to be late now, do you?" She laughed. "Get out of here, you guys. And don't forget to enjoy yourselves." When Kale wasn't looking, she glared sharply at Cabba, sending a message to him loud and clear: _Hurt her in any way and I'll string you by the balls on the kitchen ceiling fan before mounting your corpse on my wall._

Cabba swallowed a lump in his throat and laughed nervously. "You're right, Caulifla. We'd better get going before we're late."

As they flew to the home of Fennel and Beet, Cabba zoned out into space, silently fretting over how their meeting would go. How would someone as shy as Kale react to his eccentric mother and his stoic father? He shook his head. Never mind his mother, she'd be less energetic than usual. Organizing a funeral and coping with the loss of her niece, whom she had been close to, was obviously taxing. _I hope father doesn't intimidate her too much. That stare of his could have made Frost sweat, never mind Kale! And mother... She took Parsley's death so hard... Hell, we all did. I don't want Kale to carry that burden on her shoulders either. I just hope none of them mention it._

Cabba gritted his teeth in anger as he thoughts started focusing on Parsley more. He vowed to punish whoever had killed her. He did not care if there were twenty people involved that were all stronger than him; he'd make them all pay one way or another. He would start training hard - harder than Vegeta had ever been on him during the past month. _I'll grow strong... Stronger than ever before! I already have good control over super saiyan two. I just need to work on controlling super saiyan three and make it stop draining so much of my energy. If Caulifla can master it, so can I!_ The female saiyan, after a month of fierce spars with Androids 17 and 18, had finally mastered the transformation that was just out of Cabba's reach at the moment. She had revealed it as her trump card one time when she and Cabba and tag teamed against 17 and 18 on one of the rare days Cabba got a break from Vegeta's constantly demanding training.

He still remembered how raw and powerful her energy had been. It was only with that transformation she managed to fight 17 evenly, the android having gotten a mysterious power up prior to the Tournament of Power.

"Cabba, is everything okay?" Kale asked quietly, the wind carrying her voice away.

"Fine," Cabba replied. He turned to look at her. "Kale, are you nervous?"

"W-well, yes... Are you mad?"

"What! No, of course not. It's okay to be a bit skittish about this. If I were in your position, I'd feel the same way." He smiled encouragingly at her. "Word of advice, Kale: just be yourself. And that would be enough."

Kale grinned back, dimples that Cabba had never noticed before forming. "Okay. I-I guess I can do that. But will they like me?"

"What's there not to like?" countered Cabba. He flushed when he realized what he had just said. _Way to go, Cabba..._

His words were not lost on Kale; the girl's cheeks turned pink and she looked down at the world passing beneath them. "R-really?"

"Really," Cabba blurted without thinking. _Oh, screw it. We've already established common ground._ "Kale... You already know that I like you. And, well, you told me you felt the same way."

Kale nodded, sweating slightly in anticipation. _W-what does he want? Where is this going?_

"How..." He swallowed and forced himself to make eye contact with the girl. "How do you feel about... Letting me court you?" Before she couldn't answer, he added hastily, "Y-you don't have to decide now! You can make your decision at the end of the night. And, uh, if you really don't want to, that's perfectly f-fine..."

"Courting..." Kale murmured, feeling as if her heart were going to explode from happiness. "D-do you really mean it?"

"Huh? Of course I do."

She glanced at him hesitantly. _I'd better get his parents' approval first..._ "I'll tell you at the end of the night. Is that okay?"

"S-sure. Like I said, you don't have to make up your mind now."

The conversation stopped there and they landed in front of a sprawling mansion, complete with an elegant fountain and a neatly clipped lawn. Kale couldn't help but gape in awe at the residency. _S-so big...! Just how wealthy are they?_ Suddenly, she felt small compared to Cabba and his privileged family. What was she, an orphaned street rat turned gangster, in the face of Sadala's rich and noble?

Under Cabba's guidance, Kale walked up to the door. She reached up to knock, hesitating.

"Go on," Cabba encouraged.

Steeling herself, Kale moved her fist forward...

And punched Beet right in the face.

"Father!" Cabba cried as the older saiyan was knocked on his ass.

"Oh!" yelped Kale, becoming near hysterical. "Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

Cabba helped his father up, asking him questions in concern to his physical state.

"I'm fine," Beet reassured his son, looking slightly winded. "I must say, your lady friend is quite strong."

"I-I-I d-didn't mean to," Kale stammered over her words. "I-I'm sorry...! Please forgive me!" She clapped her hands together and bowed to him at the waist.

"That's alright," Beet said, looking a bit disbelieving st how such a shy, timid girl her size could pack such a huge punch. "There was really no harm done. I suppose I shouldn't have opened the door before you knocked."

Kale couldn't help but stare at Cabba's father intensely as he led them inside. _He... He's nothing like my father was..._ Now that she could see him better (it was quite difficult to pinpoint his features when he was but a blur flying backward in the air) she could guess that Cabba inherited most of his genes from his mother. The saiyan elite's father looked nothing like his son, having brown, flat, sleek hair tied in a casual bun as opposed to the short, unruly spikes Cabba had. He wore the traditional robes of a nobleman but Kale could not identify the coat of arms printed on his back of his garb.

"I'm glad you decided to come," Beet said to Cabba. "Your mother..." He shook his head. "We need you around right now, especially her." The elder saiyan gave Cabba a small smile. "And I'm glad you brought her too." His eyes widened slightly when he realized something, turning to Kale. "I'm sorry, I never asked for your name."

"It's Kale," the saiyan in question said, hoping she sounded confident enough. What if Beet didn't appreciate emotionally weak females? Little did she know, Fennel could be described as just that.

"It's good to meet you, Kale. My name is Lord Beeticus The Third but you may call me, Beet." At her flustered face, he smiled gently. "Do not let something as trivial as a title intimidate you, Kale. I certainly don't."

Kale nodded timidly, trying her best to heed his advice. _H-he's a lord?! Oh my... What have I gotten myself into this time?_

"Father's right," Cabba told Kale. "He only wished to introduce himself properly. Everyone just calls him Beet, even mother."

"If you say so..." She tried smoothing down her slightly wrinkled skirt as they entered the drawing room, where someone was waiting. Kale couldn't help but stare at the female saiyan, who looked completely out of place as Beet took her by the arm. The woman was even shorter than Cabba and had wild, untamed hair that stuck out in all directions. Unlike her husband, Fennel was dressed more closely akin to the kind of casual clothing Kale was wearing (Cabba was simply wearing his usual armor).

"Welcome!" Fennel said, throwing her arms in the air. Had there been any other respectable nobleman or noblewoman around, they would have covered their faces in shame. She grabbed a stunned Kale by the hands and grinned. "I'm so glad you could come! It's really about time Cabba got himself a girlfriend. He's already twenty three. How old are you, dear?"

Kale could only stare and do an impression of a fish at the onslaught of questions. _How old am I? I don't know! No one does - not even sis._

"Mother!" Cabba chided. "One question at a time, remember?"

Fennel laughed raucously and passed her hand through her hair. "Sorry, sweetheart. So, what's your name, lovely lady friend of my son?"

"My name is Kale," Kale said politely. "It's nice to meet you, ma'am."

"Pssh! No need for such formalities. We're all family here; you can call me Fennel! Everyone else does - even Old Man Quash who lives next door does."

"O-oh, okay."

"Please, dear," Beet murmured into Fennel's ear as they all made their way to the dining room. "You're scaring her."

"Oh, tiddly-tosh, Beet. I'm simply trying to get her to open up," Fennel hissed in response. She threw Kale, who was walking behind them with Cabba, a concerned glance. "But I suppose I couldn't tone it down a bit... She obviously has the wrong idea about us." The saiyan woman elbowed Beet in the side. "Why did you decide to wear _that_ of all things, Beet? She thinks we're stuffy nobles now!"

Beet merely shot Fennel an amused glance. "I have my own reasons, dear."

Fennel scoffed and let out a tiny 'hmph' in response. "I ought to couch you."

"... You wouldn't."

"We'll see how you go during dinner, _dear,"_ Fennel replied smoothly, a triumphant smirk on her face.

They all sat down at the humongous dining table that stretched across in the entire room. Kale and Cabba sat next to each other on one side while Fennel and Beet were on the other.

Though she didn't know it, Kale was visibly shaking in her chair. Fennel and Beet pretended not to notice, choosing instead to talk amongst themselves.

"Kale," Cabba said quietly. "It's okay. My parents aren't what you think. You'll see soon enough." Underneath the table, he took her hand, surprising her. "Try to relax Kale." He smiled at her. "Can you do that for me?"

"I guess I can try..." _I have to! Otherwise, I won't be able to let Cabba court me if they don't approve._

"So, Kale," Fennel said, breaking out of her conversation with Beet. "Tell me about yourself."

"Uhh, um..." She glanced at Cabba for help. How was she going to explain to Fennel that she was technically part of an infamous gang?! When she didn't get any help from him she said, "I... I'm a student." _That's technically not a lie. Caulifla is my teacher after all._

"That's wonderful!" exclaimed Fennel, clapping her hands together in delight. "How lucky you must be to receive an education. What do you study?"

"... Martial arts... And, um, cooking...?"

"Martial arts? You've got me intrigued. I used to be a fighter back in days of old. Now I have other things to take care of."

"Who is your teacher?" Beet inquired. "Him or her must be very accomplished judging by the strength behind that punch of yours."

Fennel burst out into laughter. "Haha! Kale, you punched him?!"

"Y-yes," Kale said, preparing to apologize profusely for the umpteenth time that night. "Fennel, I -"

"I like you," declared Fennel. "Not many people have the guts to punch my mate. You sure know how to pick 'em, Cabba."

"M-mother," Cabba stuttered. "I-It was kind of an accident... The punch that is! Kale wouldn't have done it on purpose."

"Whatever. What matters is that she did it and I'm pretty damn proud of her."

Kale sighed in relief, glad that the matter of the identity of her teacher had been forgotten. She had a feeling that Beet and Fennel would not react well to her having the leader of an infamous gang as her sensei.

Luckily, Kale was also spared from having to answer any other questions when a _Namekian_ of all things walked into the room walked into the room, several dishes hovering behind him as he held them up with telekinesis.

"Entrée is served," the Namekian announced, placing all of the food on the table.

"Thank you, Carago," Beet said politely, making the Namekian nod and return to wherever he came from.

"Who was that?" Kale asked Cabba as she spooned food onto her plate, finding it a hard to reach the dishes placed in the middle of the table.

"The butler," Cabba informed her. "Though I wouldn't really call him that. Father has been friends with him since young ever since his spaceship crashed onto Sadala during the Great Namekian Migration. Carago is practically family in this household."

"Oh, right." Kale nodded understandingly. The Great Namekian Migration was a particularly hard time in Namekian history, their planet having been blown up in mysterious circumstances. Only about a third of the entire population managed to get off the planet in small spaceships before it exploded, and even fewer made it to a new home. She supposed that Carago, who would have been very young at that time, had been flying too low and had his spacecraft pulled into the planet's atmosphere by its strong gravity field.

The first half of the meal was mostly uneventful. It was when Carago was cleaning up the table after the main course when Kale was bombarded with questions from Fennel once again.

"You know, Kale," Fennel began. "You have a very lovely sweater."

"Oh. Thank you."

"It reminds me..." She shook her head. "Never mind. It couldn't be."

Kale was curious about what she was about to say but did not press the matter. "So, umm, Fennel... If you don't mind me saying... You're, uh, very different to your husband...?"

"Heh. I was wondering when you were going to bring that up."

"Mother," Cabba said in a warning tone. "Please don't be too graphic."

"That only happens when she's drunk," Beet pointed out. "No need to worry, son, I'm sure your mother can control herself."

"Damn right, I can!" Fennel snapped irritably. "Golly, you two, no need to speak as if I'm not here."

"Sorry," both males apologized in unison.

"Ahem, anyway, Kale, to answer your question... I wasn't born into a high class family. I simply married into one. In my youth you could almost call me," she grinned, "a wild child."

Beet coughed.

"I was what one would call a pirate," Fennel clarified. "And not a space pirate, no, but a real pirate of the seas. There was a captain, a crew; everything I could possibly want! Riches! Booze! Sex! And I murdered and pillaged my way into those things." At Kale's shocked expression, she chuckled. "Oh, calm yourself, dear. I'm not like that anymore." Her eyes glinted. "Not all the time anyway."

"So how did you and Beet meet?" Kale asked.

"Mm, yes, that's a long story... But to put it short, he saved my ass when me and the rest of our crew were brought before the King for trial. All of them were executed except for me, thanks to Beet. And before you ask, yes I was inconsolable. I grieved for years." Her eyes flashed sadly. "But I bury the dead in my heart."

"Dessert is served," Carago reported as he levitated several sweet delectable onto the table. "Enjoy."

"Ooh!" Fennel licked her lips and scooping pudding into her bowl. "My favorite part! Come on everyone, let's eat!"

* * *

"Thank you everything, mother; father," Cabba said with a small bow. "It was nice being with you again."

"It was an absolute joy having you and Kale here," Fennel said with a smile. "But if you don't mind, we'd like to speak with Kale for a moment."

"M-me?" Kale pointed at herself. "O-okay."

 _Damn!_ Cabba cursed in his head. _What do they want...? Are... Are they going to give approval or something like that?_

Meanwhile, Beet and Fennel had led Kale back to the drawing room.

"So," Fennel said. "You like my son, eh?"

They'd caught her. There was no use lying. So Kale sighed and nodded. "Yes, I do, Fennel."

"Pfft, you look so downcast!" Fennel lifted the girl's chin. "Come on now, I'm sure you can guess why we're here." When Kale remained silent Fennel nodded to Beet. "You tell her."

"We're here to give you our blessing," Beet declared. He removed his robes, revealing attire just as casual as Fennel's. "You've got our approval, Kale. We can tell that Cabba has been planning on courting you." He threw the robes to the side. "We don't really care for these kinds of things in case you couldn't already tell. Forgive me, I just wanted you make sure that you weren't after more... Frivolous things."

Unsure of what to say, Kale simply nodded again. _I'm no gold digger,_ she thought indignantly, her pride wounded slightly.

"He's already asked you, hasn't he?" asked Fennel. When Kale blushed, she laughed. "Knew it. And he gave you till the end of the night to decide, right?" A nod. "Hah! Cabba can't pull a fast one on us. Well, since you have our blessing, you can go ahead and accept his proposal."

"R-really?!" Kale flushed a little when she realized how excited she sounded. "Thank you. Thank you so much."

"Go on, now," Fennel said. "Don't want to keep my son waiting." Just as Kale was about to exit the room, Fennel winked at Beet and called after her, "You're pretty lucky to have Caulifla as a teacher!"

Kale gasped in surprise and whipped her head back, eyes wide. "H-how did you know?"

"We know everything," Beet said in amusement. "Why don't you tell her this time, Fennel?"

"That sweater gave it away," Fennel explained. "I knitted it for her and sent it to Lotuce when she was still alive. That sweater was supposed to be Caulifla's when her body was mature enough. But I'm glad she passed it on to you."

"And you don't mind?" Kale said, twiddling her thumbs. "I... I don't exactly come from respectable places..."

"How many times do we have to tell you? We don't care about that, sweetheart! You and Cabba are really in love... You're practically family at this stage."

Beet nodded in agreement and Kale felt hot tears sting the back of her eyes. She turned away, not wanting to show them her moment of weakness. "Thank you... Thank you..." _Family! I... I have family!_

Kale bowed to them once more and ran out the room with a bounce in her step.

"Kale?" Cabba said in disbelief as he watched her skip out of the house with a beautiful smile on her face.

"They said yes!" Kale announced, flinging her arms around Cabba. "And... And they said I was family...!"

Cabba broke into a grin. "What did I tell you?"

Kale pulled away from him and smoothed down her skirt. She looked down shyly. "I'd... I'd like to accept your proposal for courtship. I... I love you." _W-was that too fast? Oh no..._ But her all insecurities were swept away as Cabba moved forward and embraced her tightly.

"I love you too." _There's no 'think'. Forget Lime. There's no 'think' anymore._

"GET A ROOM!"

Both of them whipped their heads around to see a laughing Fennel and a silent Beet standing at the doorway.

"Mother!" Cabba cried, flushing crimson. "Really?!"

"Make sure you use protection, son," Beet warned unhelpfully.

"You too, father?!" As the older couple laughed, Cabba groaned and palmed his face. "Sorry you had to hear that."

Kale let out a small titter. "It's okay..."

"Kiss!" Fennel urged. "Kiss her!"

Beet put a hand on his mate's shoulder. "Dear... We should just leave them to it."

"Oh poo... You're no fun. Fine." She whispered in his ear, "We'll watch them from the window."

"Right."

After they left, Cabba turned back to Kale, his face hot from embarrassment. "Kale... Do you mind if... I kiss you?"

 _Oh god. Oh god, oh god, oh god...!_ 'No!' she wanted to tell him. But she struggled to get the words out. "No-no..." She leaned in closer to him. "I don't mind." The clarity of her voice surprised her. "I... I don't mind, Cabba." _Please kiss me._

In the safety of their mansion, Fennel was observing the couple through a pair of binoculars she had pulled out from somewhere. "Come on," she muttered, watching their shadows move closer to each other. "Hurry up! It certainly didn't take you and I this long, Beet."

"Really, dear..."

A triumphant yell could be heard from the mansion when their lips met, but neither of them bothered with it, focusing instead on what was happening between them. For Cabba, Kale's lips were certainly indescribably soft, whereas for Kale, she found that she liked the feeling of his chapped lips. She shivered slightly when she felt his tongue brush over her bottom lip.

 _This... This is amazing... Is this how it always feels?_ Kale wondered, Cabba thinking something similar.

When they broke apart, a disappointed Fennel threw her binoculars on the carpeted floor, though Cabba and Kale didn't know that. It had been too chaste and quick for the saiyan matron's taste and she said as much to her mate.

"They're pretty new at this," Beet commented. "They'll get the hang of it soon."

"Can... Can we do that again?" Kale asked timidly, rubbing her arm shyly.

Cabba merely smiled. "Of course we can."

Their lips touched again.

* * *

 _ **A/N: ASDFGHJKLLLL**_

 ** _I CANNOT ROMANCE GAAAAHHHH_**

 ** _Holy guacamole, we've reached and PASSED 100k words?! And nearly 200 reviews?! WHAT?!_**

 ** _Okay. *inhales*_**

 ** _*exhale*_**

 ** _Okay._**

 ** _I still find it hard to believe people are actually out there and reading this. It's just... Ridonkulous. I think I might actually throw up like Hinata Shoyo... Gyeeehhh...!_**

 ** _Anyone see today's episode? It was good but I found it rather disappointing that Hit and Goku kinda went their separate ways when fighting. Oh well, it was still worth watching~_**

 ** _Halfway through writing this I started listening to_** ** _\- Lord Guru drops it for 10 hours. You should... Uh... Watch it..._**

 ** _DROP IT!_**


	27. Secret Heart

"I'm curious..." Chaya's voice flitted through the cell, causing Renso to look up. "What kind of information do you hold? It's obviously something important if my Lady has imprisoned you here."

Renso blinked in surprise. _This is her new strategy? Asking straight up to my face?_ He'd expected her to go unto a route with multiple twists and turns designed to make him slip up. He certainly wasn't expecting... This.

"You could just tell me... And put us both out of our miseries. I don't like being here anymore than you do." She shifted uncomfortably in her seat. "You must be the only prisoner in an prison ship to be assigned a guard. Do you like feeling special or something?"

"Special?" Renso echoed. "Not at all. If anything, this is even more degrading."

"Oh? How so?"

"Your Lady is playing a game with me. I don't know what. And believe me when I say that I do _not_ enjoy information being withheld from me."

"And there, ladies and gentleman, is the perfect example of hypocrisy in a male," Chaya remarked dryly. "The sooner you give me the information my Lady needs, the sooner you get out of this joint." _... Into the jaws of death._

"I don't want to," Renso replied, grinning to himself. Luckily, Chaya's back was turned and she could not see it. Oh, he was really enjoying this. Whatever cards this guard held were nothing to his own. Not to mention it would likely keep him alive longer. "You're a saiyan, aren't you?" he asked, swiftly changing the subject.

It was apparent to him that Chaya was quickly losing her patience and her wits with this tedious task. Perhaps enough to answer his own questions...?

"Obviously."

Renso couldn't help but bare his teeth in a toothy smile again. "I figured. After all, I'm one too. But you already know that, don't you?" When she didn't answer he continued, "Do you come from the Sadala Defence Forces?"

"Tch, of course not. I don't have any time for that shit."

The retired captain did not appreciate her calling his pride and joy 'shit' but let it slide. Lashing out would only lead her to raise her guard once more.

"Then where do you come from? Are you nobility?"

There was no reply.

"Middle class?" Renso pressed.

His question was left hanging in the air.

Chaya's rough voice slashed through the thick silence. "Where I come from is none of your business. You'll do well to remember that, _prisoner."_ Just like that, she had retreated back into her shell. Not that she had come out too far from it anyway.

Renso sighed. It had been worth a try. It was unlikely that the guard would ever free him just because they became acquainted; so instead he had focused on trying to know more about her. Spending the entire day in a cell with nothing to do was tedious at the least. _But wait... Isn't this the same as what I do at home?_ He straightened, suddenly seeing the reality of the situation as clear as day.

Out of the corner of her eye, Chaya caught his sudden movement. _That saiyan... He's a strange one alright._ Not that she knew many saiyans anyway. Lady Kafara almost never assigned her to any missions on Planet Sadala. Secretly, Chaya was glad of that - Planet Sadala and its inhabitants meant nothing to her... But it would be strange to walk among her people after so long.

 _I was rescued,_ Chaya reminded herself. _I have a purpose in this world. Whatever it is though, it definitely has nothing to do with that godforsaken planet._

* * *

It was a cold morning.

Caulifla had decided that it was a strange sensation to be sharing a bed with Son Goku. A futon was one thing, but this... Sharing a bed felt more intimate. She wanted to tell herself that yesterday was a day wasted - for she had done nothing but spar and screw with her lover - but she knew that it wasn't the case. Goku had certainly lived up his promise - if she were to throw the blankets off now and go for a walk she was certain that she'd be aching all the way.

From what she was sensing, Caulifla determined that the rest of her gang were not awake. _Tch... Lazy fucks. Then again, who am I to judge?_ Yawning widely, she snuggled into Goku's chest.

Kale had spent the night in the bedroom she normally shared with Caulifla. Usually, without the presence of the older saiyan female, Kale find it relatively difficult to sleep. But last night had been different - she had slept soundly by herself for the first time in many years. _Is it because of what happened the night before?_ She blushed just thinking about her kiss with Cabba. It had been her first and, she hoped, her last. She could not imagine succumbing to the act with anyone else. Her body had burned when his lips had touched hers. It had just felt so... Right.

Something dinged and Kale looked over to where her communicator sat. Lord Beeticus The Third - Beet, Kale corrected in her head - had given it to her the night before, claiming that he had many sitting around collecting dust. She had actually sat in her bed most of the night, fretting over all the keys and buttons that it had. Luckily, it had only taken her about an hour to figure things out; settings, buttons, whatever. Now, a new message from Cabba was displayed on the tiny screen.

 _I'm sorry, but I can't spend anytime with you today. There's an important appointment I have to attend,_ the text read.

Kale tapped on the many buttons, backspacing and groaning whenever she made a spelling mistake because of her fingers pressing two buttons at once. She sighed in small relief when she completed the message and forwarded it to Cabba. Whatever appointment he had, it was sure to be extremely important, as he had stated. Kale resolved not to bother him; he obviously needed to do this himself.

* * *

It was a cold morning.

Cabba was now regretting spending the night with his parents. Aside from the part where they had grilled him with questions about the status of his relationship with Kale, he had awoken to the most awful sound that morning. It was similar to the noises that he had heard last night as well. Staring at the posters that he had stuck on his old bedroom walls as a teenager did little to help him ignore the keening cries of his mother.

Never before had he seen his mother break down so heavily, especially after displaying such a cheerful persona in front of Kale. He was not surprised that it had all been a ruse and she had simply worn a mask for that night. Cabba did not know whether to be grateful or upset.

Contrary to her wild personality, Fennel's heart was truly spun with sugar and fairy floss when it came to those who she cared about.

Fennel displayed her crying in many different ways.

There would be times where she would wander down the hallways in a dignified posture and Cabba would hardly notice the wet trails on her cheeks. But they were still there.

And then there would be times where he would hear a staccato of hiccups coming from the bathroom, where she sobbed heavily and wailed to her heart's content, unaware that the rushing water that the shower produced did little to hide the noise.

Finally, there would be the sniffles that she tried to hide in the bedroom, oblivious to the fact that both Beet and Cabba knew that she cried herself to sleep. Beet, of course, would know, as they shared the same bed, but Cabba was also aware, having heard it more than once while heading to the kitchen for a glass of hot water.

Today, she would get closure.

Cabba was silent as he got dressed in his mourning clothes and met his parents in the drawing room, where they proceeded to take a hearse (that functioned on electromagnetic technology) to the cemetery. His mother wore black with a veil over her face while his father wore the traditional mourning robes of the Beeticus House.

At an intersection, their vehicle was joined by another black hearse. As the other hearse drove past, Cabba briefly caught a glimpse of his aunt and uncle, Lady Amara and Lord Maize.

A low rumble sounded and the first drop of rain landed on the window Cabba was near. He did his best to glance upward, pressing his face against the double-glazed glass.

Beside him, his parents had started muttering. Cabba saw Carago, the one driving, tilt his head slightly and adjust the rear-view mirror. The namekian was worried about them, though he didn't outwardly project his concerns.

There was a loud honk and Carago cursed quite colorfully under his breath as another car cut them off in the jam. Cabba shook his head. Honestly; if those saiyans just learned how to fly without relying on these primitive vehicles. The Beeticus House was only putting up with this as it was a funeral tradition. Suddenly, Cabba was glad that Vegeta had never visited Planet Sadala. The Universe 7 saiyan would not be happy to know that a percentage of the counterparts of his race acted more like docile humans than warriors.

The murmurs between Beet and Fennel ceased. The only noise that could be heard now was the loud beeping of the vehicles and the pitter-patter of the rain. Cabba grimaced. He decided that he hated this town; hated what it was called. Hated it because Parsley Town did not reflect at all the person who he missed most at this point.

"We're nearly there," Cabba heard Beet say quietly.

A soft rustle caught Cabba's attention. Though the namekian driving the car had not so much as blinked, he had used telekinesis to remove two umbrellas from the boot. The umbrellas were set down in different places; one in the front seat and the other in front of Beet, who sat at the back with the rest of his family. The Lord wrapped his hand around it tightly until Cabba thought his father's knuckles were going to pop.

The rest of the trip was a vague blur to Cabba. He was shook out of a dream-like stupor when the car glided to a stop. Slow as a sloth, he opened the door and stepped outside. The rain poured heavily but each drop bounced off his gravity-defying hair. A few raindrops slid down his cowlick and landed on his lips but he hardly noticed. Then a shadow moved over him and the rain stopped.

Cabba glanced upward.

"Thought you might need this," Carago said. He was holding the umbrella, sheltering both of them.

"Thank you," Cabba said, his voice hardly heard over the rain.

There was a loud _fwoosh!_ and a new umbrella opened up as Beet got out of the car, helping his mate out. The hem of her sweeping mourning gown grew darker with wet as she stepped onto the slick cobblestone path.

In front of them, a great wall loomed.

Parsley Town Memorial Park. Ivy grew around the rusted gates. A pile of bricks were strewn promiscuously across the entrance. No wall remained untouched by crude graffiti. Cabba's solemn expression twisted into a fierce scowl. _This... This is where she will rest for eternity?_ It was an absolute disgrace. Anger rolled off him in waves and he felt a hand clasp his shoulder. Carago was looking down at him, his face devoid of all emotion.

"Not now. There's plenty of time for that later."

Cabba relaxed slightly. The namekian was right - there _would_ be time later to take out his fury. _How_ he did not know.

The Beeticus family walked into the cemetery with stiff backs and tense shoulders, grey blurs against the blinding rain. Ahead of them were Lady Amara and Lord Maize, looking equally tense even from a distance.

A muffled sob. Cabba did not glance backward, stoically looking forward.

Cabba did not know how long it took for them to walk all the way to Parsley's burial site. Everything looked the same - trees, shrubbery and more trees - all as grey as the sky. When they arrived, others were already gathered there, including Amara and Maize.

 _Closed casket,_ Cabba noted, sighing with relief. Like many other things, he did not know if he would have been able to handle an open casket.

Someone began speaking in a low, sorrowful voice but Cabba wasn't listening; he didn't need anyone to tell him how wonderful and full of life his cousin had been - how that life had been cut short. He was completely tuned out, staring with hollow eyes at the double-glazed glass casket that lay at the bottom of the grave. How expensive it must have been. Outside of nobility, rarely any saiyan buried the dead. It was cheaper and more efficient to burn the bodies.

There was a small grunt from Carago when the speaker wistfully mentioned Parsley's almost comedic obsession with alcohol despite being lighter than a feather. Suddenly, Cabba found himself wondering how Carago must have felt when he was separated from his remaining family and stranded on an alien planet. Then the voice grew louder and an irate Cabba glared stonily at a saiyan who was standing atop a small mound, looking like he was preaching to his audience from a distance rather than reminiscing about Parsley's short life.

 _Words. Words, words, words. Words that will never bring her back._

More voices joined in.

 _Words. What's the point?_

The voices grew almost painfully discordant and Cabba hissed and brought a hand up to massage his temple.

"... she will be missed," the original speaker finished. "May our ancestors bless her."

"May our ancestors bless her," the entire group chorused in unison, Cabba included, though his chant sounded more robotic than anything else.

Just like that, they disbanded. Cabba stared after their retreating backs, surprised that Amara, Maize and his parents were part of the departing, leaving him by himself. He shifted uncomfortably in his suit and found something poking his left breast. He reached his hand up, his fingers brushing against the soft purple-white petals of Sadala's national flower: the Gemalia.

Slowly, he pulled out the boutonnière, twirling the single flower in his hand.

Then he forced his feet to bring him closer to the open grave, where the damp casket lay forgotten, yet to be covered by layers of earth. A muscle twinged in his arm as he lowered the boutonnière before dropping in the tomb. The gemalia flopped pathetically onto the tempered glass, the drop having forced its petals to spread like a halo.

"You deserved better," Cabba ground out bitterly, bowing his head.

"She certainly did," a new voice agreed, making Cabba whip around in alarm. He relaxed when he saw it was just Amara, her delicate hands resting on the front of her black dress. She must have parted from her entourage to return.

"Aunt Amara," Cabba acknowledged, inclining his head slightly. "It's... It's good to see you again."

"You too, my dear nephew... Though I wish it was not under these circumstances." Amara moved her hand into a hidden pocket, fishing out a small parcel wrapped with brown paper and tied with string. She outstretched her hand. "Here. This belonged to Parsley before..." Cabba noted how she had avoided saying 'her death' or 'she died'. Amara's eyes glinted. "She is not truly dead, Cabba, not when we still speak of her."

Cabba took the parcel, looking impassively at it. "What is it?"

"That's for you to find out. It was my daughter's wish to have this passed onto you. I don't know why."

The brown paper packaging was already starting to darken, the umbrella having been taken away from Cabba when Carago walked off with the rest. "Thank... Thank you."

Amara nodded before heading back down the winding trail.

All the way back to the rusted gates of Parsley Town Memorial Park.

* * *

 _Hey, Kale. How was your day?_

A ding. Cabba glanced at his communicator, halfway through ripping through the package. He had sent that text only seconds ago.

 _Hello._

 _Ack_

 _this Is hard to use_

 _sorry_

A smile found its way onto Cabba's face. _She even sounds like herself when she texts._ It was nice to smile again, especially after doing nothing but scowl all day. He typed back a message.

 _Don't worry about it. You'll get used to it soon._

Ding.

 _hopefully_

 _hoW was your day, cabba?_

Cabba's smile faltered as he replied back, keeping his message short and sweet.

 _Honestly? Not great._

There was no immediate reply. Shrugging, Cabba turned back to shredding the paper packaging apart. A few seconds later, a leather-bound book sat on the table, stuffed fat with notes. He ran his fingers down the bumpy texture of the book, inspecting it at all angles.

Ding.

Cabba looked over at his communicator.

 _im sorry_

He shook his head.

Ding.

 _It's not your fault, Kale._

Ding.

 _maybe... but i feel bad_

 _loosing a family member is always hard_

 _your father told me about Parsley_

Cabba occupied himself by exploring the book as he pondered on an answer. Lost in thought, he did not noticed that he had opened Parsley's parting gift to the first page. A handwritten maxim was scrawled across the rough paper.

 _A gift that you can open again and again,_ Parsley had written. _P.S. Don't laugh. If you're reading this, it means I'm dead as a doorknob and that'd be disrespectful. Laugh and I'll smite you._

He did not realize that he was crying until dark spots started appearing on the page.

Ding.

Ding.

Ding.

He sobbed even harder, letting out a heart-wrenching, keening cry.

Ding.

Ding.

Ding.

Ding.

Ding.

Through hot tears, he glimpsed Kale's messages.

 _Cabba?_

 _cabba are ou there_

 _are you okay?_

 _cabba?_

 _please reply_

 _if you need to talk_

 _im here_

 _ill always be herre_

Ding.

 _cabba_

Ding.

 _i guess your asleep now_

Ding.

 _goodnight_

Ding.

 _i love you_

With that, Cabba laughed harshly, swiping everything on the table onto the floor, scattering papers and other utensils everywhere. _How could she possibly love someone like me? There are better men out there._ He glared at his communicator, which was lying upside-down on the ground, as if the object could give him the answer he needed. Of course, it simply lay there without a peep. Not even a tale-telling _ding_ sounding.

Sighing deeply, he began to rearrange everything, feeling drained. Parsley's book - a diary, he assumed - was the last thing he picked up. A sudden burst of energy filled him and he set the book on the table and began reading.

* * *

 _Entry 1_

 _JOINED THE ELITE TECH SQUAD TODAY!_

 _Under Frost's orders of course. The guy won't give me a break. Do this, do that. Espionage this, espionage that. My purpose... My purpose? To report back to him everything that Kafara is doing._

 _She's just a weirdo._

 _What is there to know?_

 _The ship is cold and empty._

 _I want to go home._

 _HAHA JUST KIDDING! This place is great. Aside from the soldiers, I really like the staff they hire around here. The cooks in the kitchen give me free food and shit. I'm not the only saiyan on board, they said. So they're used to saiyan appetites, which is a plus. REMINDER: LEARN THEIR NAMES. GOTTA LEARN THEIR NAMES._

 _Niifa (she's the Head Technician) showed me around the lab today. It's sooo cool! It's like a scene out of a sci-fi movie. The others are really nice too. Muto's an Octopodian, Benzert's an Arlokian and Moblit... I don't know what he is. As for Niifa herself, she's Zoorian. That planet with all the really cute animals. REMINDER: Don't call her cute though. I did it today and she just about bit my head off. Everyone was laughing._

 _There's a really spiffy tavern on Planet Arlok. It's where we're docked at right now. Benzert's enjoying the time he has with his family. As for me? TIME TO GET SMASHED! I challenged Niifa to a drinking contest earlier tonight and got drunk after seventh shot. The Head Technician can seriously hold her alcohol. She drank three times as much as me and still managed to stand! What the fuck? Is everyone on this ship a weirdo? Hehe, then again, I am a member of Kafara's fleet... Look's like it's too late for me._

* * *

 _Entry 55_

 _SADALA! HOME SWEET HOME!_

 _Saw Cabba today. Kept asking me questions. Luckily, I avoided all of them. Frost would have been pretty pissed if he got in the way. Had to tell him to call me Yvonne. Didn't want my cover to be blown. Kafara has eyes and ears everywhere, I'm told._

 _And I can't help but wonder..._

 _How am I going to die?_

 _It's not like I can keep this up forever. One day, I'll slip up, and no one will care, not even Frost because we both know I'm just a puppet to him._

 _I'll ask again._

 _How am I going to die?_

 _Curious and curiouser..._

 _Oops, that isn't a word._

 _Time to add that in my dictionary!_

* * *

 _Entry 107_

 _WAHHH!_

 _GAMMY DENIED ME FOOD FOR THE FIRST TIME TODAY._

 _HOW._

 _WHY._

 _WHYYYYY!_

 _Aside from THAT little spectacle, I realized that Archer and Harper are homosexual. They're pretty good at hiding it. I only realized when Archer marched straight up to Harper and kissed him. I got the rest for River later - apparently Harper's kind of scared of showing their relationship. Archer finally cracked after a week of no lip-locking, River said. Emmett and Gammy swore me to secrecy. It's supposed to be taboo in some of the soldiers' culture or something and they don't want to be hanged._

 _Look's like I got more secrets to keep._

 _Whoop-de-doo._

* * *

 _Entry 201_

 _Interuniversal travel... Whoa... I never thought technology would be capable of that. Niifa thinks that with the right adjustment we'll be able to achieve it in about two months. AWESOME!_

 _But Frost won't be happy that Kafara has all... This at her disposal. I'll need to find out more about it._

 _Things will only get more dangerous from here._

 _Sorry._

* * *

 _Entry 212_

 _Power. It's all about power. That's what Kafara wants. To be ruler of the universe and all other universe. But she has to get stronger first. I've included a diagram of her physiology, including her abilities. It's mostly guesswork and assumptions but it'll have to do._

 _I want to die._

 _This job makes me want to kill myself. I hate it._

 _My time is soon. I can feel it in my bones... A hollow, empty feeling._

 _So, so empty._

 _Or is it my empty chest cavity?_

 _I don't know._

 _But you know what's reassuring?_

 _The fact that I know._

 _That it will soon be over._

* * *

 _Entry 214_

 _I'm going to die today._

* * *

 _ **A/N: The time has come... for exams. That's right. Exams. And you know what that means...**_

 _ **Mental breakdown.**_

 _ **Hah, jk.**_

 _ **I just probably won't be able to update until it's over. Gotta use the weekend for studying and whatnot.**_

 _ **Cabba's smart enough to put all the pieces of the puzzle together.**_

 _ **And now... it's time for some shameless self promotion. Yay!**_

 _ **I have a new fic in the Super category called Trials and Tribulations. Please go check it out! (3 Fair warning though, it's an AU.**_

 _ **Pro of TaT: There will probably be little to none OC characters.**_

 _ **Wish me luck on my test? I'll certainly need it. Failure (below 70 percent in the eyes of my parents) equals punishment in my household.**_

 _ **Thank you so much for 200 reviews. Special shoutout to MLPSTEVENUNIVERSELPS for being my 200th reviewer! Go check out her stories!**_


	28. Clues from the past

_**A/N: Shoutout to**_ ** _FernandoCabreraYT ツ for inspiring me with his Goku x Caulifla video! You should go check it out (:_**

* * *

The door slowly creaked open as Caulifla entered Renso's empty abode, Goku by her side.

"Are you sure we'll be able to find anything?" the male saiyan questioned. "It looks like even the elites gave up on trying to get any clues."

Indeed, the entire crime scene was deserted. Only a few days ago there had been Sadala Defence Force officers swarming the place like bees, looking up and down for clues and interviewing anyone within a five hundred kilometer radius. Even the shady opium dealers had been so frightened by their digging as to hide their supplies in a more secret, yet to be discovered area.

But now...

All was silent, the sound of Caulifla's footsteps the only thing slashing the quiet before she spoke. "Have more faith in me, Goku. They may call themselves elites, but you and I are more capable than they ever will be."

"Touché." Goku pulled out a few books from Renso's bookshelf, flipping through adventure novels and textbooks alike.

"Be careful," Caulifla warned. "We don't want to disrupt anything too badly."

"The elites already trashed the entire place."

The man had a point. Renso's house looked like a hurricane had ripped through it. At the sight of Renso's precious tea kettle sprawled on the ground, rage ignited within Caulifla's belly. It was a kettle that he had crafted when they were still teenagers and life was good - well as good as it could be anyway. She stared at the kettle, unsure whether to kick it to oblivion or pick it up, dust it off and put it back in its place on the kitchen counter.

"Caulifla? Is everything okay?"

"Fine," Caulifla called over her shoulder without hesitating. She folded under arms underneath her breasts and continued to have a staring contest with Renso's kettle. After what seemed like an eternity, she reluctantly removed the vessel from the ground and placed it on the stovetop. There were a few scratches and a small dent in the metal but otherwise it was fine, testimony to Renso's excellent metalwork skills. She ran her hand over the smooth surface of the kettle absentmindedly, searching for the warmth that it usually gave off when it had just been emptied of hot tea. No such luck. The pot had not held tea for a long while.

"I think I might have found something!" Goku announced, staring intently at a marked page in one of Renso's books. The other books he had flipped through were neatly stacked on the endtable.

Caulifla whipped around, excited by the prospect of a new clue. As she turned, her elbow knocked the kettle over and she cursed, scowling when the pot began to roll away.

"Everything alright?" Goku was looking her way curiously.

"Fine." She bit her lip. "I'll be right there, just give me a second." She went after the kettle, which, thankfully, had not rolled under anything. As she picked it up, she noticed something peculiar on the floor. _Are those... ashes?_ There were also some patches of the powder on the kettle's skin and she brushed it off with one hand. Setting the kettle back down, this time on the kitchen counter, she made haste to where Goku stood, his eyes moving from left to right as he scanned the book.

"I didn't know you could read the saiyan language," Caulifla commented as she joined him. "I was under the impression you've always been confined to earth, you know?"

"I have." He rubbed his head sheepishly and gave her a grin. "I was only looking at the pictures."

Caulifla laughed and took the book from him. "Should have figured." Her eyes widened slightly when she realized what she was looking at. "Huh. Of course he kept it... I burned mine." At Goku's confused expression, she elaborated, "The Academy handed out yearbooks at the end of our final year," she gestured to the book, "this is Renso's copy."

"Academy?"

"Right... I never finished my story, did I? The one that I told you when... when I was still training with you. You probably don't remember, but -"

"No, no, I remember," Goku interrupted, his gaze darkening slightly. "It's the one where you and Frost first met, right?"

Caulifla blinked once, then twice. "Yes... Yes, that's the one. Heh. I guess you do remember." She sat down on Renso's bed, gesturing for him to sit down next to her. "I guess I should probably finish it instead of leaving you hanging..." _... Then maybe we can learn to trust each other again._

Goku made himself comfortable, crossing his legs, giving her his undivided attention.

* * *

 _Frost laughed wickedly, having elicited the desired reaction from her. "Yes. You monkeys are beings that follow a Warrior's Honor, are you not? Yes, you now owe me a life debt for sparing you. And I know just how you can pay it back."_

 _No! Caulifla wanted to scream, her mind conjuring numerous ways of 'payback'._ Sexual favors perhaps? Pfft, yeah right. I doubt the guy even has a dong. A sparring partner, maybe? He seems like the type to break his opponents... _She shuddered. Frost had her pinned - literally_ and _figuratively. Years of lessons from her parents about a saiyan's honor - the Warrior's Honor - flashed through her head. A Warrior's Honor was something that was instilled into almost every saiyan - a second nature; something hardwired into their systems._

 _"Just tell her already," Kafara said, never once taking her eyes off Caulifla's stiff form. "The little one is getting restless..."_

 _"So strong and powerful," Frost mused, not showing any indication of hearing his lieutenant. Caulifla did not miss the annoyed look the albino woman flashed the back of his horned head. "I need someone like you to serve me."_

In what way? _Caulifla wondered._ What could he possibly want from me?!

 _"You will serve me as one of my elites in my personal armada." He removed his foot from her and held out his hand. "Welcome aboard... comrade."_

 _Even as she took his cold, icy hand, there was only one thought that ran through her head - a thought that went against all the teachings of her parents._

 _Deep down; deep down she knew..._

 _Debt is the slavery of the free._

* * *

 _At the tender age of thirteen, Caulifla was sent on her first mission. It was to a blue planet called Xandonia and she was accompanied by her squad. She was not leader - she had not been part of Frost's Empire for long enough to be named a Squad Leader - instead, she was merely a subordinate, something that she hated. If she was going to put up with this, she would have preferred to do it while climbing her way to the top._

 _"There it is," their squad's commander said, a malicious grin decorated on his face. "Let's go greet the little insects, shall we?" He keyed in a few commands and the ship began to descend, the planet's gravity field speeding up the drop._

 _"Insects?" one of Caulifla's comrades wondered, his lip trembling slightly._

 _Caulifla rolled her eyes and forced her heart to harden. By the time the year was over, this boy would undoubtedly be dead and rotting away somewhere. He was not strong in any kind of sense that mattered as a soldier - he wouldn't last long._

 _"You need to pay more attention in class, River," his twin sister scolded. "Planet Xandonia is home to a race of people that are described as insectoid. Honestly. Boys; they're all the same." She snuck a glance at Caulifla, as if expecting her to agree, she and the saiyan being the only females in the squad._

 _But Caulifla merely ignored her; this girl wasn't worth her time of day. She was weak, just like her brother. She was better off being a cook or a laundress._

 _"Quiet, recruits," their leader ordered, his condescending tone rubbing Caulifla the wrong way. She sneered at the back of his head. He was around their age, only a bit older, so why did he get the right to boss them around? Her teenage mind refused to comprehend his authority._

 _"Yessir, Squad Leader Bijou!" River and his sister chanted, them being the only ones who had flapped their gums just then._

 _"See, look what you did," River's sister muttered quietly. "Now we're in trouble."_

 _"Maybe we wouldn't have been if you just shut your trap," River hissed back. "Stop being such a know-it-all, Willow."_

 _"Shut up, both of you," Caulifla said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Or you'll get us all into trouble." She narrowed her eyes at the twins; both had the grace to look at least a little ashamed. "Good. Now kindly keep your traps shut."_ Fucking kids... They're nothing but children.

 _Dead children walking._

* * *

 _She was thankful for his presence; without it, Caulifla doubted that she would have remained sane. But when she looked at him, she knew that he had changed - for better or worse she did not know. She watched, leaning against the wall, as Renso chatted up a female soldier. From the sultry look on the female soldier's face, it was obvious that she wanted nothing more than to get in his pants. But Caulifla knew that nothing like that was going to happen - from day one, Renso had always been obsessed with 'defending the peace' and idolized Frost. There would be no fraternizing on his part._

 _Caulifla almost wished he had taken up the slut's offer when said slut walked away with a miffed expression on her face, having been denied of sex from one of the most desirable soldiers on the fleet._

 _"Heartbreaker," Caulifla remarked as she walked up to Renso._

 _Her brother was completely oblivious. "Huh? What are you talking about."_

 _"Ugh, nevermind." She resisted the urge to facepalm. "How was your mission today?"_

 _"It was great. We got the Berthians to sign a peace treaty with the Mairinians!" Caulifla softened at the excited expression on Renso's face. He had given up his dream of becoming one of Sadala's defenders to look after her - she would be forever grateful for his sacrifice. She was glad that he was living the dream now. But how long would it be until he became disillusioned?_

 _Someone tutted in her mind and Caulifla almost wilted as Kafara sunk her claws into her thoughts, tearing those kinds of thoughts apart. The Arcorsian's lieutenant was a safety measured employed by he himself; not wanting Caulifla to blab about the inner workings of their... business._

 _"Are you okay?" Renso asked, concern evident in his voice. "You look pale."_

 _"I-I'm fine. Don't worry about me. I can handle myself."_ _Frost certainly seemed to think so anyway._

 _After all, s_ _he was the one he sent to purge a planet of half its population and ravage the ripe land._

It's funny, _Caulifla mused._ The lengths people go to to get a quick buck and a good reputation.

 _Kafara ripped at her mind once more._

* * *

 _By the time her fifteenth birthday had passed without her explicit knowledge, Caulifla had earned quite the name for herself._

 _'The Wraith', people from almost every planet in all four galaxies called her, Frost's rule having been exponentially expanded over the past two years. All because of a single saiyan adolescent._

 _Of course, no one outside of Frost's most loyal really knew who 'The Wraith' was. She was just like her namesake, a ghostly apparition that appeared to wreak havoc, to slaughter indiscriminately; to take out her fury on the land._

 _"Is this really all they talk about?" Caulifla complained to Renso one day, having overheard a couple of recruits discussing The Wraith with much rhapsody involved. She mimicked their annoyingly high-pitched, unbroken voices: "'Ooh, The Wraith is soooo coooool! Is The Wraith real? I wonder what her power level is?' The Wraith this, The Wraith that! I'm sick of it!"_

 _Her complaints got her a few disapproving looks from some of her comrades. To them, The Wraith was a goddess that showed up to Frost's side like his whore. A_ powerful _whore, to be precise. She was proof that what Frost was doing was right; that everyone should follow his example._

 _"Is someone jealous?" Renso said teasingly. At her angry look, he raised his arms defensively. "Relax, Cauli. It's just gossip. No need to get so worked up about it. You gotta admit though, The Wraith is pretty amazing."_

 _Caulifla heaved a sigh. Sometimes, she kept forgetting that her brother didn't know; Kafara always managed to filter her words at the last moment. The saiyan didn't know whether to be somewhat grateful to the demon woman or to hate her even more. At her mixed feelings, she could almost feel Kafara cackling as she sank her claws into the depths of her mind, manipulating every 'dangerous' thought that entered her mind and threatened to exit through her mouth._

 _Renso glanced around conspiratorially. "Hey... This is from a brother to a sister, okay?"_

 _"Hmm? What? What do you know that I don't, huh?"_

 _His breath tickled her ear as he whispered, "I hear they might be promoting you soon again."_

 _"Hooray," Caulifla said wryly, not at all excited at the prospect of moving up the ranks. She had long since abandoned that dream - being in a higher position only put her closer to where Frost sat at the very top of the hierarchy._

* * *

 _When Caulifla returned from a mission bruised and bloody, testament to a particularly brutal fight she had had with an Arlokian, she decided that she absolutely despised her job as a planet purger._

 _The kind aliens that worked in the kitchen would not be here to look after her forever - there would be things where they would not be able to fix. Without even glancing at the inviting kitchen doors, she marched straight to Frost's quarters, her uniform still splotched with mud and dried blood from her fight with the Arlokian. In her mind, she could feel Kafara tearing away at her sanity in an attempt to drive Caulifla back from what she was about to do._

 _Without even knocking, she kicked the doors open, revealing Frost, who sat on his floating throne. By his side, his ever faithful lieutenant Kafara stood with her back straight and her face pinched in a scowl._

 _"I was wondering when this would happen," Frost remarked, swirling a his glass of wine casually. "Thank you for warning me, dear."_

 _"I live to serve," came Kafara's wooden response, though it sounded more strained than usual._

 _"Then you'll know what I'm here for," Caulifla snarled, ignoring her throbbing wounds. "A challenge, Frost: a fight. I'm going to buy the freedom of my brother and I from you."_

 _"Tch..." Frost rose from his hoverthrone. "Are you really sure you want to do this?"_

 _"... Yes." Caulifla cracked her neck. "Let's dance, lizard king."_

* * *

"So you won?" Goku queried.

Caulifla tilted her head slightly to look at him. "... I guess. Yeah. Yeah, I won." A grin made its way onto her face. "I won. I won my freedom back. And my brother's as well. Knocked him down before he could transform."

"Is she still in there?" Goku prompted, referring to the parasite that had invaded her mind all those years ago.

"No. She's gone." _I don't know how or when she disappeared. But she's not here anymore and that's all that matters._

Kafara would not bother her again.

Caulifla decided that it would be best to return to the subject at hand. "Anyway, the Academy was where all the recruits did their training. There were barracks and all that shit." She flipped through the yearbook. "You think the suspects might be one of them?"

"Well, they do look pretty suspicious if you ask me."

At that, Caulifla chuckled. Of course they did - most of them were nothing more than petty criminals. Finding someone genuinely good at heart was a rarity. "Fair enough... I found something as well." She tugged his arm, leading him to where she had found the ashes. Had it not glittered slightly, the powder would almost be completely invisible.

"What is that?" wondered Goku, smearing some of the suspicious powder on his finger before blowing it away. "Was there a fire here or something?"

"That was my initial thought. But how could it be? The house is still here." Caulifla tapped her knuckles on the walls, her body tense. When nothing happened, she relaxed. "It's not an illusion or anything. It's real. Dammit, we should have brought bags or something to collect some samples."

"I can go back and get some," Goku offered, backpedaling.

"No, no. The boys back home aren't really used to you yet. If you return without me, they'll probably get antsy." Her gaze flitted to where the kettle was. "I have an idea, anyway."

After some more searching, they returned home with a freshly stained kettle (Caulifla had rolled it in the patch of ashes once again to collect its remnants) and Renso's Academy yearbook. It was going to be noon soon; Kale would be up and cooking brunch for them.

They were not disappointed; upon rolling open the warehouse door, the pair were greeted by a wave of delicious smells.

"Wow," Goku said, his voice filled with an almost childish awe. "Is... is it possible for her to cook anything better than seluin?"

"I wouldn't underestimate Kale if I were you," Caulifla said, her voice filled with pride. "She's a master in the kitchen. God knows where she picked it up from. I can't cook for shit."

The book and kettle were set down on the dining table just as Kale turned around, giving them a small wave, a spatula in one hand and a cooking instrument similar to a frying pan in the other.

"Good morning," Caulifla greeted, pulling out a chair and sitting down. When Kale only smiled weakly, she frowned. "What's up, Kale?"

Goku, who was also sitting down and had the yearbook in one hand, also turned his attention to Kale.

"Oh... Um, it's nothing." At their disbelieving expressions she insisted, "It's really nothing. Don't worry about it."

"Kale..." Caulifla's voice carried a warning tone and Kale sighed, knowing that she was fighting a losing battle.

"Something's bothering you pretty bad," Goku observed. "Come on, Kale, you can tell us."

"I-I..." The meat she was frying sizzled and she tossed it up in the air. The food landed artfully back into the pan with a hiss. "It's about Cabba..."

"Oh?" Caulifla leaned forward, Kale having confided in the older saiyan about her kiss with Cabba and the dinner with the latter's parents. Caulifla's gaze darkened almost instantaneously as possibilities flooded her mind. Cabba and Kale having an argument. Cabba transforming in anger. The pair fighting; Cabba in his super saiyan two form and Kale in her berserk form. And - heaven forbid - Cabba hitting her. "Kale... What did he he do?"

"He didn't do anything," Kale protested lightly. She fished something out of her skirt pocket. "Umm... I'm just concerned... It's dumb, really, I'm sorry..."

"Kale," Caulifla said chidingly. "Don't bottle it up." Opposite her, Goku was nodding in agreement.

At their insistence, Kale lowered her defenses, slumping and sighing. "Cabba... Isn't returning any of my texts."

There was a brief silence.

"Is that all?!" Goku cried in surprise.

"How dare he!" Caulifla hissed at the same time.

They whipped their heads to face each other. "What are you talking about?!" they demanded in unison.

Kale sweatdropped.

"What am I talking about?" Caulifla echoed, sounding incredulous. "He's blatantly ignoring her." A snarl was etched on her face. "That saiyan needs to be taught a lesson."

"He probably just needs time to himself," Goku said. "He's like a police officer, right? He's probably working or something."

"So he's too busy to talk to Kale?" Caulifla challenged.

"Well, to put it bluntly, yes! Gah, Cauli, why are we even fighting about this?"

Caulifla was about to retort but stopped herself. Exhaling, she straightened in her chair, recollecting her composure. "It was pretty dumb," she admitted grudgingly.

"You sound like an old married couple..." Kale murmured quietly.

"Eh? What did you say?" Goku said, scratching his head. "I didn't catch that."

"Me neither," said Caulifla. "What else did Cabba do?"

"H-huh? Oh, um, Cabba didn't do anything else, sis...!" She glanced at her communicator. "He just hasn't responded since last night. I'm... I'm worried."

Now that she thought about it, Caulifla had to acknowledge that Kale might be overreacting a little. "Try not to get too worried. He can take care of himself. He's a super saiyan, you know. But when he does respond." She clenched her fist. "Rip him into shreds."

"Uhh..."

"Maybe don't go that far," Goku countered, sweatdropping slightly. "But if I were in your position I guess I'd ask him about what he's been doing all day." He perked up slightly. "Here's your chance."

Before anyone could respond, the sound of the rusted warehouse door rolling to the side was heard. There were fast-paced footsteps and then Cabba appeared at the doorway of the kitchen.

"Cabba!" Kale exclaimed, fumbling with her spatula. "H-hello."

"Kale," Cabba acknowledged, looking like he hadn't slept the night before. "Hey, Goku; Caulifla."

Caulifla merely nodded in response while Goku gave him a two-fingered salute and a "Yo!"

"You look like you got into a battle with a laggerwomp and lost," Caulifla drawled. "Seriously."

"That bad?"

The looks Goku, Kale and Caulifla all gave each other was enough to tell Cabba that _yes_ it was indeed that bad. Circles of black surrounded his eyes, making him look like the hairless primate equivalent of earth's panda bear.

"Appearances aside," Cabba said loudly, hoping to divert the attention away from the dark bags underneath his eyes, "I... I think you might want to see this. The other day, you mentioned something about a threat." He tossed Parsley's diary onto the table. Caulifla hissed when it nearly knocked the kettle off. "This belonged to Parsley."

"Oh?" Caulifla said, her brief ire gone. "That's your cousin right?" Out of her peripheral vision, she noticed Kale stiffen up. _What's that all about?_ She forced herself to ignore her protégée and keep eye contact with a weary Cabba.

"Was," Cabba deadpanned.

"Semantics," Caulifla shot back brutally, knowing the implications of his one-word response. "But truly, I'm sorry for your loss. No one should have to go through that shit."

Cabba merely looked down at his feet.

The awkward atmosphere was thankfully broken when Goku managed to put two and two together. "Say, do you think your cousin was," he hesitated, "murdered by the same threat?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying," Cabba said with a nod, grateful that he did not have to say it himself. He opened up to a marked page. "And this is who is responsible."

At the familiar, malicious grin, Caulifla's blood chilled.

Then the doll on the page spoke.

"Hello. It's been a while, hasn't it?"

* * *

 _Five minutes ago..._

"Is it ready?" Kafara demanded, sweeping into the laboratory without warning.

"Y-yes, My Lady!" Niifa said, hoping that Kafara would forgive her for not saluting as she held something precious to the woman with both hands. "Here. It can be consumed now." She could almost feel her veins freeze as Kafara brushed her moon-white fingers against her hand in order to properly grasp the bottle of dark chi.

Niifa's breath hitched as she waited for Kafara to pop the cork open and drink the substance. "W-well?" she blurted, cursing herself for her uncontrollable mouth.

Luckily, Kafara only turned the bottle in her hands, observing the literal energy drink with a calculating gaze.

A day ago, Kafara had ordered Niifa to convert the dark chi into something consumable lest she be executed. Niifa was merely lucky that it had not taken long for her to transform the chi's medium.

"Good work," Kafara said in a clipped tone. She conjured a portal and dropped the bottle into it, ignoring Niifa's weak protests of "it's delicate!"

Then, as quickly as she had arrived, she was gone. Niifa managed to peer into the portal for a second before it completely closed off. From what she had seen, it seemed to be a pocket dimension of some sort.

The zoorian grimaced. _She's a strange sort..._

* * *

 _ **A/N: HAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHHAAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHA**_

 _ **I SURVIVED EXAMS ASDFGHJKLAJSBIWDBDOBOOD**_

 _ ***sniffs and cries openly* I did it...! My last exam (science) was today...!**_

 _ **Thank you for all the reviews. Thank you all and goodnight!**_

 _ **Time to unwind now...**_

 ** _*stares intently at all the Haikyuu fanfiction available, scrolling through every single fanfiction*_**


	29. Raw

"RAAARRGGHH!"

"Gak! Caulifla, no...!"

Goku restrained Caulifla by hooking his arms under female saiyan's, the chi blast in the latter's palm growing bigger by the second. Frantically, Cabba closed Parsley's diary, causing dust to fly everywhere.

"S-sis!" Kale cried.

Caulifla continued to scream, trying to break loose. "RELEASE ME! GOKU, LET ME GO RIGHT NOW!"

"Caulifla!" Goku shouted. "Calm down!" She continued to thrash against him. "Caulifla!"

Cabba and Kale watched wide-eyed as, gradually, the female saiyan stopped her flailing. Her chest was heaving and her face was flushed. She twisted her head upward so she faced Goku and glared nastily at him. Then the glare shifted to where Cabba was standing, clutching Parsley's journal protectively to his chest.

A silence enveloped the room as Goku released the smaller saiyan, letting her hover to the ground, the energy blast in her hand dissipating. There was a vein visible on her head and, right away, they all knew that something was terribly, terribly wrong.

"Where did you get that?" Caulifla's voice was harsh and low as she spoke to Cabba, fixing her steely gaze on him. He opened his mouth to respond but Caulifla cut him off by reiterating, "Where did you get that, dammit?!"

A strong hand enveloped Caulifla's shoulder. Goku was casting her a stern gaze. "Caulifla," he said. "Stop getting so worked up about this."

"Hrr... Don't tell me what I should be doing!" She jerked her body away from his touch, regretting her action slightly when his warmth disappear. "You don't know what we just saw... But I do...!"

"Then tell us," Goku said patiently. "And maybe then we'll understand."

A sigh could be heard and then the creak of the chair as Caulifla plopped down in her seat, visibly aggravated. "Fine, fine... Fucking hell, you are so troublesome..."

"Sis?" Kale tried tentatively. "Why... um, what happened just then?"

 _A drawing spoke to us. Yes, it was weird... But why did Caulifla react so... so violently?_ Cabba thought as he cautiously placed the diary back on the table. "Caulifla? You're not going to destroy this are you? Please don't. It... It's all I have left of her."

"Of course, I'm not going to destroy it," Caulifla said snippily. "Not unless you piss me off..."

 _She avoided Kale's question,_ Cabba noted. Caulifla almost never ignored the younger female.

"Do you think she'll talk again?" Goku queried, remembering how the drawing's pencil lips had moved, revealing a mouth full of sharp, curved teeth.

"Hopefully not," Caulifla all but growled. "But if she does... Don't give anything away. Not our position, not anything."

"Who is she?" Kale asked, she being perhaps the most out of the loop out of all of them. "Caulifla, what's going on?"

They all looked at Caulifla curiously as she got out of her chair and paced around the dingy kitchen once, then twice. When she finished the third round, she returned to her seat, ignoring Goku's curious look. It seemed like she wasn't going to answer so Cabba began to speak before he got cut off.

" _She,"_ Caulifla ground out hatefully. "Is a beast. Don't let her feminine skin fool you, she's a goddamn demon." She took a deep breath before continuing, her voice wavering slightly, "Her name is Kafara. She was Freeza's top lieutenant back in the day. His bitch. She served him in things outside of the military - and _no_ I do not mean _those_ kind of things." Her nose scrunched up. "Would that even be possible...?"

"So it is her," Cabba thought aloud, garnering the attention of the others. "The picture was legitimate."

"You know who she is?" Goku asked, furrowing his brows. "How? Did Caulifla tell you about her too?" Somehow, the thought of Caulifla confiding something so private to Cabba made his stomach churn.

"No," Cabba replied, looking perplexed as Goku relaxed. "I didn't even know that she and Caulifla have history."

Caulifla peeled her lip back in a silent sneer. _That's one way of putting things._ "I'm curious to know too, Cabba."

"H-huh? I've only ever heard her be mentioned by my mother in passing. And the diagram... Now I know it's her. I was disbelieving at first. She looked harmless."

"Hah!" Caulifla crowed. "Harmless?! You're a fool to ever think of her as 'harmless'. She... does things that not many dare to do, even if they were capable of it." Goku shot her a warning look and she fell silent - not that she was cowed or anything. She simply didn't need to say any more.

While the other saiyans conferred, Kale turned the stove off and rested the meat, her head just about spinning all the while. _Kafara? Sis? Military? History? What's going on?_ How would Caulifla know Kafara if the latter worked, or used to work, within the military. It was common knowledge that Caulifla had a special hatred reserved for those with authority or power - Cabba seemed to be an exception.

"Should we open it?" Goku suggested. "Maybe nothing will happen this time." He prodded the leather binding of the journal. It didn't react.

"Unlikely," Caulifla said with finality in her voice. "Regardless, we're opening it."

"You won't freak out again will you?" Cabba asked.

Caulifla turned on him. "Relax, bonehead."

"Eh?! Bonehead?"

Kale joined the table just as Caulifla opened the book to where Parsley's sketched, annotated diagram of Kafara was. They all stared at the paper drawing, their expressions guarded as they expected the worst. But Kafara merely grinned back at them, the corners of her wide smile stretched to the curve of her almond-shaped irises.

Caulifla eyed it warily. "Nothing's happening... Is there anything else about her - "

"There!" Kale shouted, pointing at the drawing. "I-It moved!"

Everyone tensed up even more. Nothing happened.

"Are you sure?" asked Goku. "Doesn't look like anything to me..."

"I-I could've sworn it moved," Kale mumbled. "Umm, maybe it was just a trick of the light."

"Kale," Cabba said gently. "Maybe you should go upstairs." He eyed the dark circles underneath her eyes. A pang of guilt hit his heart - it was likely because of him that she hadn't slept well last night. He had not replied to any of her texts, having been occupied by the many entries in Parsley's diary.

"You are looking a little pale," Caulifla acknowledged. "Just leave this to us. You go and rest."

"B-but sis - "

" _Go,_ Kale."

Slumping in defeat, Kale did as she was told, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. It was her fault. She was a burden to Caulifla and nothing more. With her out of the way, maybe there would actually be progress made. Her head throbbed painfully and she bit her lip to keep herself from crying out. _Where... Where is this coming from?_

In the kitchen, Caulifla was busy shooting Cabba a nasty look. "Maybe if you actually talked to her instead of ignoring her then maybe she wouldn't be so tired."

"I'm sorry. I really hate to say this but this," Cabba gestured to the journal, "seemed more important at the time."

"Guys," Goku said firmly when Caulifla's scowl molded into something more hateful. "Don't start again." _Dammit, Cauli, just work with us. You can chew Cabba out another time._

"Fighting?" someone crooned, causing everyone to snap into alert, furiously glancing around the kitchen. "And here I thought... that you were all such good friends."

On the open page of Parsley's diary, Kafara's image had come to life once again, her lips peeled as she picked her curved fangs with one clawed nail.

" _You,_ " Caulifla hissed hatefully.

"Like I said." Kafara spread her arms tauntingly. "It's been a long time, Caulifla. How 'bout a hug, dearie?"

"Fuck you! How 'bout I burn that oily rat's nest off your head?!"

"Caulifla - " Cabba started.

"No! Shut up, Cabba, I don't need to hear shit from you right now."

"What do you want?" Goku asked solemnly, glaring down at the pencil drawing.

"Oh!" Kafara folded her hands over her chest in mock surprise. "You're a new face... Another one of Caulifla's boy toys? Or something more?" She winked, a knowing glint in her eye - she knew perfectly well who Goku was and what he was capable of. "I've heard that saiyans make excellent lovers." Her lip curled in disgust as her playful demeanor suddenly did a one-eighty. "I recall executing whoever said that."

"Stop being coy," Caulifla said accusingly. "Why have you shown your face here again?" Her voice grew shrill, something that alarmed Goku - Caulifla _never_ got shrill. When women got shrill it meant that people stopped paying attention to them and everything about Caulifla demanded a large presence.

"Don't shout at me," Kafara said baldly, planting her two dimensional hands on her hips. "And I might tell you."

"Screw this," Caulifla said loudly, charging a chi blast. "Go to hell!"

"I have something you're missing," Kafara continued as if Caulifla wasn't threatening to erase her existence as a sketch. "What might it be, I wonder..." She held up her fingers. "Father? Nope. Mother? Nope. Sister? Nope. Brother?" She smirked ever so slightly. "Well..."

"You have Renso?!" Cabba cried as Caulifla's energy attack evaporated. "Where is he?"

Kafara sighed and waved her hand flippantly at the elite's demands. "Oh you hero types. It's always the same thing. You're so full of it that you're _drunk!_ " She snarled. "It's sickening! But fine, I'll tell you where he is. So sit down and shut up."

They all eyed the woman suspiciously. None of them sat.

"Renso is safe," Kafara began, the corners of her mouth twitching upward in amusement. "But he won't be for long. Not unless... you _do_ something about it. Listen carefully you stupid apes. I will give you Renso as long as I get something in return." She pointed a slender digit at Caulifla. "And that happens to be you, Caulifla. So what say you? It's a fair trade."

"What do you want with me? Going to conscript me into your pathetic army?"

"Oh, no! No, no... Far from that. I need you for personal use." Her eyes slanted as she smiled. "Your friend Son Goku... he possesses the power of a god, no? He would be of great use to me as well. Turn he and yourself in and Renso is guaranteed safety."

"No deal," Caulifla denied without hesitation. "Are you done wasting your breath?"

"Tch. I anticipated this. Why do you monkeys have to be so goddamn stubborn? Very well." She snapped her fingers. "Perhaps this will sway your foolish decision." Astonishingly, a new sketch began to appear on the side of the page. It started off as a barely discernible shape but gradually turned into something more feasible.

"She looks like you, Cauli," Goku observed, rubbing his chin.

He was right. The unmoving image that now marked the page was hauntingly familiar. The saiyan female in the drawing wore a stern expression, her youthful features hardened into a displeased scowl. One of her eyes was marred by a horrible scar.

"This is Chaya," Kafara introduced. "Like you, she is a saiyan warrior. She is currently my property but I'm willing to give her up for the right price. Renso and Chaya for you, how about that? It'd be nice if Son Goku would tag along too."

"I don't get it," Goku muttered. "We don't even know who she is. Why does Kafara think that Caulifla will change her mind?"

"I don't know her," Caulifla declared, overhearing Goku. "Why should I care what happens to her? She means nothing to me."

"Lies!" the cackling demon woman accused gleefully. "What, don't remember your promise?"

"Promise?" Cabba echoed. "Caulifla, what is she talking about?"

"Hell if I know! I'm just as much in the dark as you are."

Kafara sighed mockingly. "Let me refresh your memory then. When you were eight years old, you made your dearest mother a promise. Need I say anymore?"

By now, Caulifla was rooted on the spot. Goku nudged her arm but she did not budge. Kafara observed them smugly, her grotesque teeth on display as she grinned.

"You lie." Caulifla's voice came out husky and hoarse. "Your a goddamn fucking liar."

"I'm not the liar, Caulifla," Kafara countered swiftly. "It's you. Surely you must have connected all the dots by now. Yet you keep lying to yourself... Keep trying to convince yourself that she's not who she is."

"Graahh! Shut up! Stop talking! I hate listening to you - I hate your voice! It's in my head... It's always in my head!" With a frustrated cry a white aura surrounded her, blowing everything unsecured away.

"Aah!" cried Cabba, scooping up Parsley's journal in his arms. To his left, Goku had collected Renso's yearbook and the dented kettle which held vital samples.

"One of you better stop her," Cabba heard Kafara speak, her voice slightly muffled. "Until next time, saiyans..."

And one of them did in the form of a blur. Caulifla was out like a light, her aura diminished. She slumped forward, revealing Goku with his hand in a chopping position. He caught her gently.

"Sorry," he said. "But I don't think you'd forgive me if I let you destroy the place."

Sighing in small relief, Cabba opened the book back to the right page again. "You take her upstairs Goku. I'll make sure that Kafara's gone." _... I almost wish Frost was still ruler at this point._

Goku nodded and then Cabba was alone with only a kettle and two books keeping him company. As Cabba scrutinized Parsley's drawing of Kafara, he noticed that there was a new scrawl of words underneath Chaya's headshot. The blood in his veins froze as he read the script, which was elegantly printed in the saiyan language as well as Universal Standard.

 _No... No, it can't be!_ He didn't want to believe it but the facts were laid out right in front of him. She could have been lying but Cabba highly doubted that. Kafara did not lie in this instance.

Cabba shut the book, trying to wipe out what he saw, unsure whether to feel immensely glad or immensely worried. But for all the world, he could never erase the memory he had made in that moment.

Those arching words...

Of _Sister Dearest._

* * *

 _"What are we doing today?" A young Caulifla eagerly asked her father. "Hunting?"_

 _"We've got enough supplies in the storeroom already," her father assured her. "There will be no hunting today." His eyes twinkled. "Today, you'll be doing something different. I'll warn you now, it will be dangerous."_

 _"What is it?!"_

 _"Whoa, slow down, Cauli. I'll tell you. Just don't interrupt me. Can you do that for me?"_

 _"Okay." She put on a comically exaggerated solemn look, causing Garlik to smile._

 _"The only reason I'm doing this is because you're a prodigy, Caulifla," her father told her. "Heck... if you were any less powerful you'd be climbing trees and we wouldn't be having this conversation at all."_

 _They walked through the forest, the chirping of birds the only noise breaking the silence. Caulifla very much wanted to open her mouth and ask what this was all about but refrained from doing so._

 _"Here we are," Garlik announced, stopping. Caulifla barely managed to halt, nearly walking straight into her father's back._

 _"Huh?" Caulifla moved to stand by Garlik's side. "Is this a... fighting arena?"_

 _"That's right," Garlik said proudly. "I built it myself."_

 _Caulifla sweatdropped at the rickety fences - in all honesty it looked more like a small paddock for animals than an arena. "I can see that." She peeked up when she noticed a familiar face standing in the arena for the first time. "Eh? Renso! What are you doing here?"_

 _Her brother was smirking. He was gripping a sword in one hand. "Didn't father tell you?" He swung the sword around in an impressive display. "We're going to duel for the right to protect Rutah as her Guardian!"_

 _"Huh?! Dad, what is he talking about?" Caulifla demanded. "Why are we dueling for this Guardian position? And who's Rutah?" She crossed her arms and mustered her best glare at her father. "Well?"_

 _Garlik sighed but smiled faintly in amusement as he regarded his daughter. Only eight years old and already demanding answers from her old man. "You're so much like your mother," he remarked, causing Caulifla to startle a bit. "Don't ask the question. It's neither a compliment or an insult, Cauli." He cleared his throat. "I suppose that there's lots of explaining to do. As you already know, your mother and I are having another child. The cub inside her is named Rutah." Caulifla nodded. That made sense - another gender neutral name, much like 'Caulifla' and 'Renso' - names given when they were still growing in the womb and without a known sex. "What we're doing today is part of an old tradition. It's starting to die out unfortunately. Not many can see the real value in having a Guardian for their children."_

 _"But our family does," Renso chimed in proudly, resting his sword on one broad shoulder, the blade laid flat on his leather armor. His eyes gleamed at the prospect of a competition. "Father will be trailing both of us today for the right to be Guardian."_

 _Caulifla tipped her head to one side, slightly puzzled; unable to comprehend the importance of being Guardian to the unborn Rutah. Noticing her hesitation, her father squatted and placed his hand on her shoulder. "Caulifla, when Rutah is born, you will come to love them unconditionally no matter what. It's always been the case for us saiyans when it comes to younger siblings." He scratched his head. "Not exactly sure why. Our scientists have never bothered to try and decipher this pattern of behavior. But the point I'm trying to make is that," his eyes glimmered, "do you really want Renso to be imprinted on Rutah? Or will you give the Guardian Trials a chance and maybe get the opportunity to be there for Rutah?"_

 _The female saiyan swallowed. She had already felt the love for her unborn sibling - it was powerful; overwhelming. Whenever she was around her mother, she would feel the... love and almost motherly instincts swirling around her and threatening to knock her off her feet. Like most saiyans her age, love was lame. Or it was supposed to be anyway. You couldn't help but love your family. It was unconditional._

 _"So?" Garlik prompted, picking up an extra blade from the grass and holding it out for her. "Will you do it? Will you protect Rutah?"_

 _Caulifla stared at the sword. Then she clasped her hand around the hilt, the fleshy bit of her palm knocking against the pommel. "With my life," she said as solemnly as she could. "I won't let Renso win! I_ will _protect Rutah!" With a yell, she charged into the arena and swiftly took her place next to Renso._

 _Her father smiled. "That's my girl. Alright!" His sudden change of volume startled Caulifla. Renso, slightly smirking, steadied her. The only thanks he got was an elbow in the ribs and a sneer. Ignoring the antics of his children, Garlik shouted, "The Guardian Trials will consist of two trials!" He gestured to a cave; he had purposely built the arena around it. "I don't know how it hasn't been alerted to all this noise... But in there, a deadly laggerwomp sleeps! Your task is to work together to slay the beast. No chi blasts or flying allowed. Use your sword and your fists and feet." He smirked. "And avoid its fangs. I drugged it yesterday with a mild sedative and slathered a paralyzing poison all over the teeth. Get bitten and it's game over."_

 _"Easy!" Caulifla declared. "All we have to do is not let it bite us."_

 _Garlik flashed a genteel smile. "Oh it's not the laggerwomp I'm worried about. I'm sure you'll be singing a different tune in the next trial." His eyes shifted to Renso then back to Caulifla._

 _"Do you know what he'll have us do next?" Renso asked his sister, watching closely as his father disturbed the slumbering beast by throwing rocks into its cave and shouting obscenities._

 _"No clue. You?"_

 _"Nope. Father told me about the laggerwomp but not about the next trial." His eyes flared. "But whatever it is, I'll beat you!"_

 _"Hah! Bring it on!"_

 _"Alright, guys!" Garlik called, hopping over the fence. "It's pretty damn mad!" He gave them both an encouraging shove. "Go out there and get 'em!"_

 _"Look's like you have to walk the walk," Caulifla taunted as a large shape emerged from the cavern. "But the question is... can you?"_

 _"That'll be answered on the battlefield." He held his sword out defensively in front of him, Caulifla doing something similar. Both had been trained in swordsmanship from young age, though the former had more experience than the latter. But Caulifla was never the one to let something as trivial as a disadvantage dishearten her. When it came to sheer will and stubborness, she far surpassed Renso._

 _The laggerwomp was massive, much larger than the two of them combined. Six horns were situated from the crown of its misshapen head to the top of it. More jutted out in a curved manner from the parietal ridge and framed its jowls. Perfect for goring._

 _"Hey there!" Garlik hollered from the outside of the fighting ring. "I almost forgot - make sure you avoid the horns as well! There's an even faster-working poison on those."_

 _"Oh, just great," Caulifla grumbled, fixing her gaze on the laggerwomp, her gaze filled with disgust as she examined its hide, all the hard flesh covered with thick, shaggy fur, which grew especially long at the flank. Its feet were hooven; the animal looked incredibly similar to a mutated earth cow. Not that Caulifla would ever know to make such a comparison._

 _The laggerwomp bellowed, showing Caulifla rows filled with sharp teeth, and charged at them mercilessly._

 _"Hup!" Renso said as he jumped into the air while Caulifla rolled to the side. The saiyan female sprung off her feet and sliced at the laggerwomp, but the beast avoided it with impossible agility and she only managed to cut off a few hairs. Renso landed with a thump, unable to attack the laggerwomp from above due to its constantly changing position._

 _"I dibs on port flank," Caulifla claimed, hoping to kill it by disemboweling it, armed with her sword and the knowledge of the laggerwomp's weak spot: its soft belly. It was the reason why the fur got considerably thicker around that area. "Maybe if I can get under it..."_

 _"I'll go for the neck from the opposite side," Renso stated, his eyes never leaving the laggerwomp's enraged irises. "Understand?"_

 _"Yeah." She zipped to the laggerwomp as fast as she could, flinging her sword artfully. The creature roared as Caulifla nearly unbalanced it and revealed its belly to the world. With a swipe of its thick, scaly tail, Caulifla was sent tumbling across the grass. The laggerwomp was about to stomp on her while she was down, but an attack by Renso had it distracted enough for Caulifla to get back on her feet._

 _"Dumb thing," she spat out mouthfuls of grass. "That's the last time I let that happen!" Renso gave her a bemused smile, not sure if she was referring to the laggerwomp or herself when she said 'dumb thing'._

 _Caulifla got easily angered, Renso remembered with a small jolt. Hopefully her temper wouldn't blind her. She jabbed at the behemoth's flank while, as promised, Renso cut away at its large neck. He had already made an incision of considerable size there - the laggerwomp would bleed out sooner or later. It seemed to know that as well, for it panicked and started to wildly swing its huge head._

 _"Look out!" Caulifla warned as the flat side of the laggerwomp's horns skimmed against Renso's bare forearm. "Dammit, be careful, Renso!"_

 _"Speak for yourself!" Renso retorted, watching her nearly get stepped on by the beast's massive, pounding feet. "Only a few more slices and it's throat will be open!"_

 _"Then hurry up and do it!" By now, Caulifla was fully aware that, by attacking the flank, she had only made herself a distraction. At this point, Renso was the only one that posed any real threat to the laggerwomp. Frustration filled her and she began cutting at its side hairs faster than ever, driven by adrenaline._

 _"HAAAHHH!" Renso and Caulifla screamed as they lifted their blades high into the air and thrusted or swung._

 _There was a splatter of blood and the beast managed one last moan as its guts spilled out and its detached head rolled across the grass, leaving a trail of wet, sticky purple blood._

 _Garlik's eyes widened from the sidelines. "Well, shit. What happened back there?" Neither of his children heard him, the two too busy celebrating their success by highfiving their stained hands. It was like a sudden power rush had filled both of them, with Caulifla succeeding in cutting the beast open after multiple failed attempts and Renso cutting straight through its bone and nigh indestructible flesh. A mix of pride and uncertainty filled him. If this was how ruthlessly they treated the laggerwomp... then how would they do in their next trial? Doubt shadowed his face and he grimaced. There was only one way to find out. "Hey!" he waved them over. "Good job. Your mother has been craving steak lately and we don't have any in our supplies."_

 _"Figures," Caulifla said, a prideful grin on her face. "So what's the next test?"_

 _Garlik hesitated. "Well..."_

 _They looked up at him in anticipation._

 _He clapped his hands together. "We'll be stripping the laggerwomp's meat!" A groan from both of them and he hastily continued, "Do you remember what your mother and I taught you? About the cuts we're able to eat? Make sure you only get it from the brisket and the sirloin! Everywhere else is inedible." His features hardened when he noticed their sour expressions. "What are you waiting for, a bell?! Get to it!"_

 _"Lame," Caulifla huffed as she squatted and started cutting away at the areas her father had indicated for them._

 _"Agreed," Renso said, hacking at the brisket while Caulifla did the sirloin. "I was expecting something flashier from him." He rolled his eyes. "Grown ups." He smacked his lips as he licked up a drop of blood that had landed on his lip. "Pretty good." The blood was poisonous but only mildly - one drop wouldn't hurt anyone._

 _"Gross," Caulifla proclaimed with a sniff. "How can you eat it like that?" She always preferred her food cooked thoroughly. Only certain foods were allowed to be slightly uncooked in her opinion and the laggerwomp wasn't one of them._

 _"Picture it like this. You get lost in the woods and the only thing you can eat is a laggerwomp. What do you do?"_

 _"Fly home. Duh." She stuck her tongue out at him when he scowled._

 _"That's not the point!" he snapped irritably. She laughed, knowing the 'point' that he truly wanted to make._

 _"Alright, alright... calm down, will you?" Caulifla grinned as she stripped off the last of the sirloin. "Sweet! I'm all done." Her excitement was short lived. "This can't seriously be the second trial... right?"_

 _"Yeah, I was definitely hoping for something more exciting. Like catching a murderer off the streets. Then we'll be heroes!"_

 _Caulifla raised an eyebrow at her brother. "Heroes? Why would you want to be a hero? It's not the saiyan way. We don't really go beyond common decency."_

 _"Think about it, Cauli. Fighting criminals, protecting the innocent... We can do a lot of good in the world you know."_

 _Caulifla frowned. Great. There he went again, preaching his nonsensical fantasies of justice to her. This was the real world. Justice didn't exist no matter what people said. When was Renso going to learn? Their parents had tried to instill the lack of justice into their heads but they had apparently completely missed Renso._

 _A shadow fell over them and they looked up into the face of their father._

 _"Hey," he said quietly. "I couldn't help but notice that you don't exactly look satisfied. And I don't blame you; I did go on and on about this..." He lowered himself further so that he looked them in the eye. "Listen, you two. The way you killed that laggerwomp got me thinking. I don't want anything to ever tear you two apart, not even Rutah. Originally, I was going to have you two duke it out for the Guardian position in the second trial. But... well, things don't always go as planned. Sure, we'd be breaking tradition but I don't want anything to interfere with our family dynamic. Both of you will be Guardian to Rutah."_

 _"Is that allowed?" Renso said, confused._

 _Caulifla elbowed him in the ribs again, making him wince. "Dummy! He just said we'd be breaking tradition but it doesn't matter. It'll be better if Rutah has two Guardians, right, dad?"_

 _Garlik nodded. "Right. With you two around, nothing will ever happen to Rutah." He ruffled their hair, making Renso protest and Caulifla splutter indignantly. "I know I can always count on you guys."_

 _Dinner was uneventful. It was only until Caulifla returned to her bedroom, dressed in her nightgown, did the next big thing happen. When she opened the door, Caulifla blinked in surprise at seeing her mother sitting on her bed as if she had been waiting for her._

 _Lotuce smiled gently and opened her arms. "Come here."_

 _Without hesitation, Caulifla hopped into her lap and hugged her, breathing in her familiar, comforting scent. "Hey, mom," she mumbled into Lotuce's shirt, her words muffled by the fabric._

 _"I heard that you and your brother are officially Rutah's Guardians."_

 _"Mmhm." A yawn. "We fought a laggerwomp..."_

 _Lotuce stroked her daughter's hair, knowing that she would be off to dreamland soon. "I know, Cauli." She hugged her tighter. "I bet you were really brave out there." A nod. "You know, there's another part of the tradition your father neglected to mention."_

 _That got Caulifla up and interested. "Huh? What is it?"_

 _"Normally, if the fight between you and Renso ended in a draw, the matron of the house would get to decide who's Guardian."_

 _"We didn't even fight though! Dad didn't want us to."_

 _Lotuce could almost hear her daughter's pout. "I'm aware. Which is why," she kissed Caulifla's forehead. "I'm naming you the official Guardian for Rutah."_

 _Caulifla hopped off her mother's lap and stared up at her face in awe. "W-what? Why? Renso's stronger because he's older!"_

 _It was then Lotuce grabbed Caulifla's chin, her eyes narrowed flint. "Listen good and well, Caulifla. I did not make this decision lightly. I chose it based on the fact that, in a year or two, you'll be stronger than Renso. You have potential Caulifla, potential that surpasses your brother's. Age means nothing when it comes to strength!" She said it so vehemently that Caulifla could do nothing more but gulp and nod. "Train hard to protect Rutah, Caulifla."_

 _Caulifla finally found her voice. "B-but I don't know how to be Guardian!" She dropped her gaze. "I-I was hoping Renso could teach me..."  
_

 _"Renso is as inexperienced as you are. As you grow, you will learn and become accustomed to the role. It is nature, Caulifla. I cannot force any sort of teachings onto you. Being a Guardian isn't some ordinary lesson. It's an experience. There will be ups and downs. They'll be times you'll want to strangle Rutah."_

 _"Eh?! What if I end up killing him or her then?!"_

 _"You won't," Lotuce assured her. "Because you love Rutah far too much, just as a Guardian should." She lifted Caulifla's chin again. "Promise me something, Caulifla."_

 _"What kind of promise?" Lotuce smirked. Caulifla was ever still cautious about making promises, just as she should be. Lotuce herself had drilled it into Caulifla - always be wary of promises._

 _"I want you to promise me that, no matter what, you will keep Rutah safe." She grabbed Caulifla's shoulders and stared her into the eye. "Will you?"_

 _"I promise! I... I'll die for her!"_

 _Lotuce burst into laughter. "Cauli!" she chided. "What happened to my self-preservation lessons? Nevertheless, you don't have to make any kind of sacrifices yet. Don't lie to me... You'll never die for Rutah. Not now anyway. Maybe sometime in the future... But I pray that will never happen."_

* * *

 _"Torn right out of the womb," one saiyan said as he and his partner walked down the street with some alcoholic beverages for a party that they were hosting. "It was brutal!"_

 _"I know we aren't exactly the kindest people. But how could a saiyan possibly do something so... despicable to their own brethren?" his mate said, shaking her head. "It's disgusting. I pray that the unborn child is in a good afterlife."_

 _This was the general talk of Sadala. And would remain for many months to come._

* * *

Kale pretended to be asleep when Goku carried Caulifla into the room and put her to bed. When he left, the door shutting behind him, she let out a shuddering sob. When she had been sent away, old insecurities she thought were no longer here flooded back into her, invading every cell in her body.

 _I'm a burden!_ she wailed internally. In her mind's eye, she saw Caulifla engaging Goku in a battle during the tournament of power. Kale had simply been left to stand and observe helplessly from the sidelines. She had thought it would be a good idea to assist her sis, but Goku had merely batted the chi blast she had shot his way as if it were a fly. Then he had glared at her and bluntly ordered her not to interfere. She had looked to Caulifla for help. But she had shared the same sentiments as Goku.

Tears ran down Kale's cheeks as she sobbed even harder, turning occasionally to see if her loud bawling had woken up Caulifla. That would be embarrassing. Like she needed to bother Caulifla even more with her needless tears.

 _I'm a burden,_ she told herself again. _I'm nothing more than a burden to sis._

 _Yes,_ something - no, _someone_ \- agreed. _You are very much so a burden to your dear Caulifla. You need to stop getting in the way._

 _I know!_ Kale screamed back. _I know, I know, I know! But I don't know how! I don't know how! I would do anything for sis. I'd change if I could! If... If I knew how._

 _I can help you. Let me in, Kale, and I can make Caulifla love you even more._ An image flickered - blood red eyes and moon white skin. Black. So much black. Liquid night. _I can make you stronger. Then Caulifla will appreciate you - if you became stronger and leave behind who you are now._ A snort of disgust. _Who would love a mouse like you?! I can change you! I can make you great!_

Cabba flashed in her mind and Kale jolted. But the strange speaker was quick to shut her hopes down.

 _He doesn't love you. He only pretends to. You know the saiyan way, Kale. It's only the_ strong _females that get chosen. You are weak. Pathetic. You are not a saiyan!_ That toothy mouth sloped downward in displeasure. _Saiyans are not cowards! You are not a saiyan! You coward!_

"Please stop," Kale whimpered, clutching her head. "St-stop... please...! Don't call me that!"

 _Son Goku,_ the voice mused, and Kale noted for the first time that it was distinctly female. _Has replaced you._ Kale stiffened. _We both know it._ Her voice grew gentle. _Let me help you, Kale._ In her mind, she could see a pale hand reach out to her. _Let me help you._ A beat. _Please. I can't bear to see you suffering like this. Caulifla and Cabba are all you have left. But they can never love you now. No one can._ The pointer finger attached to the hand curled in a 'come hither' motion. _So let me help you. I just want to help._

An arm with golden brown skin reached out toward the white one and, with no small amount of surprise, Kale realized it was hers. She knew that she was also replicating the motion in the physical realm.

Their hands entwined.

 _Thank you, Kale._

* * *

Caulifla's eyes snapped open. She didn't even get a moment to gather her bearings when the events of this afternoon came flooding back into her head like a tidal wave.

"Rutah," she mouthed, her throat dry from a lack of moisture. "Rutah."

"Sis?" At the other bed, Kale was looking at her curiously. "Is everything okay?"

"Fine," Caulifla rasped, hopping out of bed. Her legs trembled as she smacked her thigh in irritation. _Stop quivering!_ She looked up to regard Kale. Something seemed... off. She looked the same. Spoke the same. So what was the problem?

Without waiting for Kale to reply, Caulifla exited the room. In the kitchen, she could hear Goku and Cabba discussing things. What they were talking about she did not know and didn't bother to find out. She was only thankful that they didn't seem to notice her travelling chi signature for whatever reason. Grabbing her hooded cloak from its place on the coat hanger, she donned it around her shoulders and left the building, thanking the gods that Cabba, in his haste, had left the door open. Around this time - evening - her gang would have dispersed to spend their money on alcohol and gamble around town. Maybe mug a few people. And that was fine with her.

It wasn't as if she'd see any of them again.

 _I'm sorry, Goku. I wish we had more time._

* * *

 ** _A/N: Sorry for the wait. I had a lot of other things going on and this chapter was an absolute chore to write. I got my exam scores back, which was why everything got so delayed. I started this chapter last week._**

 ** _Math - 92%_**

 ** _English - 75%_**

 ** _Yeah, not the best, but certainly not the worst either. Goddammit, I hate English, I'm just glad I passed xP_**

 ** _But you see, my parents aren't exactly happy. I'm still serving out my punishment. Won't say what. I probably won't be able to update as fast as I used to for a while. Until my next exams come up and I can redeem myself._**

 ** _Tomorrow, I have tennis semifinals. My tennis partner and I are coming third and we'll be facing the team holding the second position. Fourth and First will face off._**

 ** _Thank you for waiting..._**

 ** _OMAKE!_**

 ** _Just elaborating a few tidbits of trivia sprinkled in to the story._**

 ** _Laggerwomp - has been mentioned several times in the story but only this chapter revealed its appearence_**

 ** _The Great Namekian Migration - like U7, Namek exploded (reason unknown) but the namekians were forced to scatter rather than stick in one big group, hence why Carago is the only namek on Sadala_**

 ** _Seluin - a Sadalan delicacy made from the meat of the animal of the same name_**

 ** _Universal Standard - English_**


	30. Chasing the wind

"Success!" The Chief Distributor trilled, much to Chaya's confusion. She had been called in by the former just minutes ago and found him practically dancing upon his desk.

"Is something the matter, Chief?" Chaya asked, her voice guarded.

"Matter? Why I guess there is something the matter! Thanks to the efforts of you and your squad, I've gotten a promotion!"

Chaya's gaze darkened. "I see." _Mooching off the work of others... typical._ "Congratulations, I suppose. What's your new position?"

The Chief waved his hand. "Nothing as shiny as that, Captain. However, I've gotten more privileges assigned with my current position." He cleared his throat, as if realizing just how unprofessional he was being. "Anyway, now that we've got that settled... You've been relieved of your duty as the prisoner's guard."

"Oh. May I ask why?"

The Chief's naturally saggy face twitched slightly in indignation, but he answered anyway, "Lady Kafara has successfully apprehended her Vessel."

At that, Chaya's interest perked and she leaned forward in her chair. "Vessel?"

Almost immediately, the Chief Distributor paled. "Y-You...!" He smacked his jowls. "Son of a gun...! That was sensitive information... I wasn't suppose to reveal anything like that. I feel like I've spoiled everything now."

"It's fine, Chief," Chaya said, pretending to examine her nails. "But I advise you to tell me everything you know about this Vessel... Otherwise, I just _might_ let it slip to Lady Kafara that you've been blabbing behind her back."

There was a loud _bang_ as the Chief Distributor slammed his meaty fists on the table. "I am your superior, you arrogant little - "

"You've been drinking again," Chaya cut him off, noticing the bottle of foreign alcohol kept behind a stack of important looking papers. A cruel smile made its way onto her face. "What a disgrace... Wouldn't want the Lady to revoke those privileges, do we, Chief?"

When the Chief deflated, the saiyan knew she had won. "Good. Now tell me everything, Chief."

"Curiosity killed the saiyan," the Chief feebly warned.

"And satisfaction brought it back," Chaya countered without missing a beat. "The info, Chief."

Sighing, the Chief made himself comfortable in his chair. "I don't know as much as you think, child." He was starting to sound more like his sober self again. "But... you of all people should have guessed by now that my dark lady's only goal in her long-lived life is power. She has yearned for it since the day she was hatched. It is part of her nature."

 _Hatched? Now that's interesting. Her species looks more mammalian than anything else._

"For a while now, my Lady has been doing all that she can to gain more and more power," the Chief continued, visibly sweating. It was commonly said that Kafara had eyes and ears everywhere, and the Chief knew that his quarters were unlikely to be an exception. Chaya, however, believed in no such thing, and, as such, beckoned the alien to speak once more. "From what I've heard from her personally _and_ from the Head Technician Niifa, Lady Kafara has been having them build an inter-universal transportation device. I don't know the details. But what I do know is that Niifa and her team had nearly completed the machinery when the Lady ordered them to put their project on halt and focus on something else."

"Which was?" Chaya pressed.

"I don't know. Mind you, this is rather recent, and I haven't spoken to the Head Technician since she received that new assignment. She's been working day and night on it, along with her team. If I have a penny for every time I heard Moblit complain - "

"Back on topic, Chief. I want to know about the Vessel."

"Right..." The Chief grabbed a handkerchief from his pocket and started dabbing his perspiration away as if he were some fine lady. "The Vessel... First, I would need to explain how Lady Kafara... gains her power... I am one of the few she has entrusted this information with." His dabbing grew frantic. "And I'm giving it all away...! Because of some slip of the tongue...!"

Chaya smirked. _I am having way too much fun holding this over his head._ "Please do continue, Chief." _Serves you right for taking the credit for my handiwork and drinking yourself to death. Hmm... It'd be interesting to know how she gains so much power in such a short amount of time. Every single day, her power level grows and grows. It's impossible even for a saiyan with an extreme zenkai boost to gain power so quickly!_

The Chief leaned forward across his table. Chaya followed suit. Then he murmured, "My Lady is... unique. She... To put it into perspective, she is akin to a parasite."

"She latches onto someone and feeds off their power?"

The Chief hissed at her. "Be quiet! And to answer your inquiry, no, not quite. But you're close. Lady Kafara has the ability to gain an individual's power and memories by... sucking their blood. It could be a mere drop or the whole body could be sucked dry. Either way, the unfortunate's abilities will be passed onto her." His voice grew hoarse. "And... There are rumors that she may be a skinshifter. Either that, or her appearance changes every so slightly each time she gains a new ability. From what I've seen, it's likely the latter."

"And the Vessel?"

"My Lady seeks a body which is capable of godly power. She plans to suck it dry and add that power to her own. I don't know anything else... I swear!"

But Chaya only nodded. "You've given me more information than I expected." She cocked her head, her eyes saddening ever so slightly. "Try to be quiet about it."

The Chief let out a bitter laugh. "What other choice do I have? At least let me have one last drink." Without waiting for an answer, he chugged down the rest of his moonshine before wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "I hate you, you demon beast. You brought this upon me."

"You brought it upon yourself, you fool. People like you always get your comeuppance. Like I said, try to be quiet about it."

"No problem, you cranky bitch..." His words grew slurred and uncouth. "I hate you. I hate youu..." He moaned and grasped his inflated head between his sausage-like fingers. "Youu..." The Chief chuckled dryly. "I should make it loud just to spite you. But... taking one's own life always is a quiet affair, isn't it? And right after a promotion too..."

Chaya got up from her seat in front of the Chief's table and let herself out. "Too bad. Make sure you're dead by tonight. Otherwise, she'll come after you and make your death ten times worse. We both know that."

"And you? What will she do to you?"

"... Don't worry about me. I'm just curious. She knows I'm loyal to her no matter what. She'll be forced to promote me to keep me close."

"All this from a bloody fucking promotion?! You insolent whore! The devil's whore!"

Chaya simply gave him a wicked grin, his insults bouncing off her like a weak chi blast on klangite. "It's been nice knowing you, Chief."

* * *

It was not hard to seek the demon out for Caulifla. The witch had conveniently docked her gigantic ship on Sadala just days ago. Strangely enough, Caulifla could detect absolutely no life occupying the ship - either Kafara was the only occupant and had somehow managed to mask her power level or the ship was fitted with chi blocking devices. Frankly, Caulifla opted in favor for the latter.

Miraculously, she had traveled halfway across the planet with no one going after her. Not Kale, not Cabba; not even Goku had followed her. Now, she stood beneath where the ship was anchored, her sharp features sliding in and out of view as the ship's shadow moved back and forth, wondering how long it'd be before her cadre would come rushing to her rescue only to find her either dead or bound to Kafara.

Something moved and Caulifla lashed out - the closest being found himself falling backward into shrubbery as Caulifla's finger beam pierced his heart, ensuring no chance of survival. She raised her eyebrow as she regarded the armed soldiers surrounding her. Their power levels were pathetic. "So this is my welcoming committee, huh?"

An alien with several antennae, the only one not wearing a helmet, lifted his ray gun at her. "H-halt! We've been ordered to bring you before Our Lady...!"

"Figures." Her energy flared before stabilizing. When the guards closed in on her she shifted her weight, making them halt in alarm. "What are you doing?"

One of them held out a metal band. "We... We were ordered to apprehend you _properly._ You'll need to wear this before we enter the ship."

Caulifla scowled at him. "And where is the head honcho, huh? It's insulting really... To have bugs like you _arrest_ me. You could at least do it right, you know. I am fully capable of wiping out all of your forces."

"She's bluffing!" Someone blurted, cocking his gun. "Don't be discouraged...!"

 _They can't sense power level,_ Caulifla realized. Though she was keeping hers suppressed, it was still higher than all of theirs by leaps and bounds, despite the soldiers' chi signatures being a little... hazy. An even fiercer scowl decorated her face. It was a mockery, sending these low level soldiers to apprehend her. Kafara could have at least sent people of higher caliber - a force that could at the very least detect chi!

One guard, who was still young by the sounds of his unbroken voice, panicked and fired something at Caulifla. "Sc-screw this! Hyaaahh!"

"Wesson, no!"

"Sh-shut up, Rallo!" He kept on firing until the machinery overheated and burned his hands. "G-gyahh!"

In a flash, Caulifla was up in their faces and ripping off their helmets. Two young faces stared back at her. "What?" Caulifla all but snarled, picking them both up before throwing them to the ground. " _Children?_ They sent fucking _children_?!"

By now, all the other guards were moving in toward her, their goal of apprehending her thrown out the window in favor of a full on assault. With an invisible chi blast, Caulifla sent their helmets flying off. All of them were adults. Without any hesitation, she launched a massive attack at them disintegrating all of them in one blow. When the smoke faded, they were little more than space dust. Smoothly, Caulifla turned back to Rallo and Wesson.

"She killed them," Wesson was babbling, trembling violently, a dark stain appearing on the front of his pants. "S-she killed all of them... Even the new Commandant!"

"Shut up!" Rallo screamed, hysterical as his bladder also loosened. "Shut up!"

Caulifla looked down at them without a trace of pity in her eyes. "Who are you?"

"Uhh?!"

Growling, Caulifla squatted so that she was at their level. She would have to be gentler. "You're aligned with the Empire..." She eyed the emblem printed on their chest armor. "I can tell that much. But what are kids like you doing in an army circuit of all things?" _They haven't even hit puberty yet... They can't possibly be trainees! ... Right?_

"W-we're part of Squad 7 and 8," Rallo stammered out, being the first to recover. "Well... we _were_ until you... uh-uhh..." He swallowed. "W-we a-are trainees of the 375th Training Corps... Th-this was our second time out on the field f-for experience...!" He bowed his head. "We haven't graduated yet! I-I swear! Don't kill us!"

"364th."

"H-huh?!" Wesson blurted, whimpering when Caulifla turned her gaze to him.

"I was part of the 364th Training Corps," Caulifla enunciated slowly. She frowned in displeasure. "Looks like the quality dropped. Answer me this: Why can't I feel your chi signatures too well? It's all distorted, you know?"

Rallo pulled up his sleeve with one quivering hand and showed her the same metal band that they had planned to make her wear wrapped around his wrist. "Ch-chi suppressors..." He smacked his lips to rid himself of the dryness in his mouth. "Uhh-um, I'm not really sure how it works... But, ah, it's like... Controls our energy. Let's us release it w-when we n-need it... I don't know..."

"You and your big mouth."

Caulifla choked in surprise as something cold fastened around her neck, spikes digging into certain places, inches away from all her important arteries before shirking back into tiny recesses. Instantly, she felt her power _disappear._ She'd let her guard down. She'd let her guard down and now she'd be put down by whatever had caught her. _But how?! I never even sensed her coming..._ Then she recalled the explanation Rallo had given her just moments ago.

"Don't bother," the voice, low and feminine, drawled, Caulifla desperately trying to tip her head back to identify the stranger. "The needles inside the collar have spiked you with a powerful paralyzing drug." They forced Caulifla to kneel in front of the terrified trainees, who were staring wide-eyed at whoever stood over the weakened saiyan. "I gotta say... I was expecting something more from the Vessel. Rallo!"

The boy jumped. "Y-yes, Captain?"

"You talk too much... Go back into the ship and clean yourselves up." Her voice grew gentler. "Please, you two... I don't want anymore kids getting hurt."

 _Soft spot for children._ Caulifla tucked that bit of information away as her mind grew fuzzy, the drug coursing through her body. She tried to smile, as if the action would help her accept the fate that she had chosen for herself. _What is she going to do to me? Vessel? What...?_ Against her will, Caulifla's eyelids drooped sleepily. "It's all for you..."

That female voice sounded again, this time closer than Caulifla would have liked. "Hey. Hey, what are you saying, Vessel? It's not time for last words yet, you know." She kicked Caulifla in the side.

"... _Rutah_..." _God fucking damn it, I wish you died that night so we could both be safe. I wish I could hate you. But that's impossible and I'm a liar when I say I want you dead._

* * *

"Rutah?" The name rolled off Chaya's tongue. "That's a saiyan name..."

"Penny for your thoughts, Captain?" Leycee said, holding up Caulifla's limp body with the little skill he had with telekinesis. He was tense, and not just from the energy he was exerting just by floating Caulifla alongside them. He knew that he was treading on thin ice here. Around him, all his squadmates stiffened, as if sensing the tension.

"Nothing," Chaya said shortly, briefly sparing Leycee a glance. "Any word on Cody's condition?"

"He's stable," Leycee told her, not bothering to elaborate. "The nurse shooed me away before I could ask about anything else."

"Damn, what did you do to him, Captain?" A zoorian taking the form of an anthropomorphic avian squawked, shaking her head. "I passed by the infirmary yesterday and all I could hear was dry retching."

"You know why already, Petra*," Chaya snapped, irritable. "His stomach didn't react well with the solution." She passed a hand through her hair. "Cody's a good kid. He deserves to know the beauty in the universe and I wanted to show him Xandonia's moon. It was a emotionally clouded decision, alright?"

Petra put her talons up in surrender. "Right."

"Why do you care so much, Petra?" Another member of Chaya's squad, a tarrok called Maku, wondered. "Is it because he's zoorian too?"

"Care? Of course not." Petra glanced at her teammate, her eyes carrying a flicker of annoyance. "He's part of the mammalian population. _I'm_ part of the esteemed avians. I have no attachment to... Cody." It was not a kind emphasis she put on his name.

"Keep your beak shut, Petra," growled Chaya, making the avian flinch. "If you know what's good for you."

"Yes sir."

Chaya's squad walked down the ship's winding hallways confidently, as if they'd walked the same path hundreds of other times before - which they had. Their leader stopped.

"You're all dismissed. Tend to your own missions. I have something to attend to."

"Yes sir," all of them said woodenly, as if they were reciting something off a paper.

Once they dispersed, Chaya made her way down to the kitchens, pushing open the doors without hesitation and plopping down on the table.

"Yo," River said, holding a pot of steaming soup. "Wanna talk about it?"

"No."

He clicked his tongue. "'Kay."

* * *

The curtains blew in the wind ominously as Goku stared blankly at the empty bed. She was gone. _But why? Why would she leave? And how did we not sense her?_ His head throbbed. There were too many unanswered questions for his liking and he was aware that he didn't have the mental capabilities to ponder about all of them. He could vaguely hear Cabba and Kale speaking downstairs through the thin walls.

"You didn't see her leave?" That was Cabba, sounding disbelieving.

"N-no! I-I didn't... I swear...!"

 _She's lying,_ some instinct inside Goku screamed. Every word she spoke was sending alarm bells off in his head. But what was wrong? Kale was just being Kale. More worried entered his heart and he curled his hands into fists.

"I didn't see her," Kale insisted, her voice more quiet this time. "I was asleep... I'm sorry, Cabba." She sounded like she was about to burst into loud _hu-hu-hu_ tears. "P-please don't be mad... I... I don't want to fight..." A sniffle. "Please."

Her power level had disappeared off the planet as soon as he realized that she was gone. It was as if there had been a cloak around their own senses before it had finally been removed. And when that cloak was shed, Caulifla had vanished into the night without even a written note or message.

 _Come back,_ Goku pleaded silently. _Where are you?_ It was as if a light in the dark universe had been turned off. Now all that remained were icy depths. His questioned changed. _How do I find you? Do you want to be found? How are we going to stop Kafara if we're not here? We need you!_

He frowned. That last thought didn't sit well with him. Downstairs, the voices started up again.

"Where's the boss?" Someone unfamiliar asked - likely one of Caulifla's gang members.

"Oh, A-Ayote," Goku heard Kale stammer out. "She, um... Had errands to run. She won't be back for a while..."

"A long while," Cabba added for good measure. "Don't expect her back soon."

Their combined answers seemed to satisfy the gang member. Ayote's stomping footsteps carried away into the distance and Kale and Cabba's voices grew hushed once more.

"I'll find you," Goku promised to the darkness in the room. A fire lit up in his eyes as the prospect of a challenging fight entered his mind. "Heh. They must have been pretty powerful... Kafara, I'll bet." _But she left willingly._ Goku knew that much. _Mind control? Or..._ The sketch of the strange female saiyan Kafara had provided them with was recalled. _Who is she? She means something to Caulifla, doesn't she?_ "We'll fight her together," Goku declared, a smirk growing on his face. "And she won't be able to stop us."

* * *

 _ **A/N: A lot of shit will go down in the future. Not the near future though. The Kafara arc is going to be longer than I expected. And after that... we'll likely have a Freeza arc if things go to plan. After that, I will either end the fanfiction or continue by writing slice of life chapters.**_

 ** _*I blatantly took Petra's name from the Shingeki no Kyojin series. I have no regrets._**

 ** _Almost all of Kafara's background and abilities have been given some light thanks to the (deceased) Chief._**

 ** _Yes, I am aware that most of the readers here are not fans of OCs, and there were quite a few in this chapter. But there needed to be interaction (and I tried to limit that as well)._**

 ** _I haven't posted in a while mostly because I have had little to no inspiration for writing. Instead, I've been reading. I found this really good Haikyuu fanfiction that I just couldn't get enough of (I finished all 300k words already... too soon cri... waiting for its final chappie to be posted)._**

 ** _I've had a lot of people asking if Goku and Caulifla are going to have a child. I'm going to be blunt with no regrets; YES. But not now. As for whether she's pregnant or not... We'll see. Just bear in mind that there will be no tiny saiyans running around until after the Kafara arc at the very least._**

 ** _I have not made any final decisions with this fic and its direction keeps changing more than I expected. But that's okay._**


	31. I'm cold

**_A/N: Hey guys! Just a small announcement before we get right into the story. And that small announcement is:_**

 ** _Ascending is going to be cross posted on AO3 soon! Yippee!_**

 ** _... That is all. Actually no, wait. The hiatus is now over (see, that was short!) but expect longer periods of time between updates. I have final exams to study for and this dank holiday to enjoy._**

* * *

 _"Poor dear..."_

 _"How old is she again? Eight?"_

 _"No child should ever have to deal with such a terrible loss." The speaker, a female, clicked her tongue. "No child..."_

 _"That's life. If she can't deal with it, then bully for her."_

 _Caulifla sat in silence as the adult saiyans conversed around her as if she wasn't even there. She didn't know what to say to them. For the first time in her short life, her silver tongue had become lead in her mouth._

 _Maybe she should make an outburst. Scream at them._

 _Maybe she should cry. Wouldn't it make sense for her to cry at this stage?_

 _Or maybe she could continue what she was doing right now, sitting pale faced among adults who only pretended to care._

 _In the gray room, she glanced at the single poster taped on the wall. "No child left behind" it declared._

 _Already, she knew she would hate it here._

 _"The documents are all ready, Pepper," a stern looking saiyan said. "As of today, she'll be under your care."_

 _"Of course." Pepper was plump and round faced by it was obvious she has some hidden muscle under her matronly outfit. Her neck was practically thick, ropy muscle after all. She nudged Caulifla and, despite radiating bodily heat, the touch felt cold to the newly orphaned saiyan._

 _When Caulifla didn't move, Pepper put on her best smile. "Come on dear. We're going to have lots of fun at your new home. I promise."_

 _Promise. The word echoed in her head and she stood up abruptly, causing Pepper and the others to look at her in confusion. After a few moments of silence, Pepper took her by the hand as gently as she could and guided her out of the cold, monochromatic room._

 _The corridor was no better for Caulifla. White, clinical lights shone brightly, giving it a formal, uncaring ambience. The place was a few doctors short of a hospital._

 _Pepper seemed to notice her discomfort and picked up the pace, which Caulifla was able to be at least a little grateful for. At least the woman wasn't a complete idiot when it came to handling small children._

 _But Caulifla was neither small nor a child._

 _Not anymore._

 _When they got outside, Pepper started up her car and nudged Caulifla into the backseat before getting into the driver's seat._

 _"Now I know what you're thinking," Pepper said by way of starting a conversation. "Why don't we fly instead?"_

 _That was not at all what she was thinking but Caulifla simply put on her best poker face and let the woman continue as the car moved._

 _"But we have a policy here. Not all children are as lucky as you to be taught how to fly by their... parents. The building where we keep all the children your age is near the main office block, where we just were so it'll only be a short drive."_

 _Keep all the children your age. As if she were some animal. Once upon a time, she would have cared. But now she was too tired._

 _Far, far too tired._

 _"Most of the children have never met their parents before. You're one of the lucky ones."_

 _Lucky? Was this lady insane? Caulifla lifted her chin to stare at her through the rear view mirror. "No," she said, her voice hollow. "It's the other way round."_

 _Pepper did not argue. More proof that this woman was full of shit. But the pitiful glance that Pepper gave Caulifla through the same mirror showed that the woman was capable of displaying at least some genuine emotion. Even if it was something that was not welcomed._

 _Caulifla did not need or want her useless pity. She said as much and Pepper's brows knitted together before she replied._

 _"It's not pity, Caulifla. It's sadness."_

 _That didn't matter. In her eyes, it was the same thing._

 _A few seconds later, the car stopped and Caulifla stepped outside. The air smelled nothing like what she was used to, having lived in the forest for most of her life. The smell here was... unnatural. Artificial. Unwelcoming._

 _"We're here," Pepper announced, Caulifla finding it unnecessarily redundant. "Welcome home."_

 _But it wasn't. It wasn't home._

 _Caulifla shivered._

 _Home wasn't supposed to be this cold._

* * *

 _As much as Pepper pushed her to make friends with the others, Caulifla only came to befriend one of them, a seven year old girl called Olive._

 _Olive was the only one who understood boundaries out of all the other children. She respected Caulifla's personal space while the others pestered her about her past every chance they got. It was no secret who she was, or who her parents had been._

 _If Olive weren't around, Caulifla swore that she would have gone insane weeks ago. In return for her friendship, Caulifla granted Olive access to all the toys by scaring the other kids away. She was easily the strongest of the bunch, though not as strong as Pepper was._

 _Olive didn't understand why Caulifla was so protective of her but she was grateful for it. But despite her gratitude, she often pondered on why Caulifla felt the urge to be such a fierce guardian to her. Olive was small and weak. Worthless by saiyan standards. She only had a measly power level of 80. Before Caulifla had come, she had been picked on almost every day._

 _"Caulifla," Olive said to her one day. "Am I your best friend?"_

 _Caulifla tilted her head to one side in a questioning manner. "Where is this coming from, Olive?"_

 _"I don't know... It's just that I've never had anyone do this for me before... Like protect me and stuff... So we have to be best friends right? Otherwise I don't think you would do this." The logic seemed sound enough in her seven year old mind._

 _Caulifla stretched an arm around her shoulders and grinned, ruffling Olive's mousy brown hair. "Of course you're my best friend! In fact, we're sisters!"_

 _"S-sisters?" She didn't know why but Olive found the declaration a little disturbing, her unusual perceptiveness coming into play._

 _"Duh. And as your big sister, it's my duty to protect you, Rutah."_

 _Olive froze._

 _But she did not question it. Not because she didn't want to - the girl was naturally curious._

 _But because she didn't dare._

 _Olive died a few days later from a lung infection._

* * *

 _Caulifla's expression was stern as she watched Kale dip her spoon into her soup and lift the broth to her mouth with a trembling hand_.

 _"Just drink it," she ordered sharply, making the timid girl drop her spoon into the bowl, splashing stock onto the floor. "God, you're so clumsy. How have you survived this long?"_

 _"S-sorry..." Kale mumbled. "I-I'll clean it up. I promise."_

 _"Shut up. Don't make promises you can't keep. It's not like this is my apartment anyway."_

 _"Oh..." She fiddled with her spoon before finally taking a small sip. "Then who's is it...?"_

 _"Hell if I know. I just broke into the nearest empty one."_

 _"Oh."_

 _They went quiet, Caulifla silently observing Kale as she gobbled down the rest of her liquid meal, as if she just realized that she was ravenously hungry. When she finished, Kale set the bowl aside and awkwardly bowed before Caulifla._

 _"Thank you for the meal."_

 _Caulifla was surprised that she managed not to stutter for once but didn't let that surprise show on her permenantly stony features. "Don't to that." She looked away so that she was facing the window. Not that she could see anything outside. It was still raining - heavier than ever._

 _"Sorry..."_

 _She quickly grew annoyed. "Don't do that either! It's irritating to see you being such a doormat, especially when you're so..."_

 _"S-so w-what?"_

 _"Strong," Caulifla ground out, growing more displeased. "It doesn't suit you. You have the potential to be stronger than me."_

 _Kale blinked at her in disbelief._

 _"Don't do that!" Caulifla snapped, "My god, you are so annoying."_ So why am I putting up with her? It's not just because she's strong, is it? Strength that is only triggered by strong emotions, I might add...

 _Kale looked like she was about to apologize again but stopped herself. She knew better at this point, something that didn't go unnoticed by Caulifla._

 _After more uncomfortable silence, Caulifla sighed and turned to Kale. "Sorry. It's been a long day."_

 _Kale had definitely not been expecting the big bad saiyan to apologize. "Oh, um, it's okay. Thank you... for looking after me."_

 _"... It's nothing."_

 _It had been the start of a beautiful story, a beginning where one memory was buried for another. A story that she wished would never end._

* * *

She did not know where she was.

She did not know if she even wanted to know.

Caulifla's eyes opened, her vision green. _Wha... What happened?_

"Hey."

Caulifla narrowed her eyes into slits as a man in a white lab coat walked right past her position and addressed someone else.

"Her vitals are stable. She just woke up."

"Oh? That's excellent news. Not that there's much to do right now. Still awaiting orders from our Lady."

"Don't say it like that, Squad Leader. You could get in trouble."

"Oh? And are you going to report me, Moblit?"

It was only then that Caulifla managed to get a better grasp on where she was. Her body seemed to be suspended in some sort of translucent liquid. Something tight squeezed her neck and, feeling a pinch in places that shouldn't be pinched, she could theorize that there were multiple wires and tubes attached to her.

She tried to move but found herself unable to. She glared, the liquid thankfully not irritating her eyes. _Who are these people? Where am I?_

Then she remembered. Despite the coolness of the aqua surrounding her figure, she felt the tips of her ears burn in embarrassment. She was sure that if she had a tail like the Universe 7 saiyans once did, it would be subconsciously tucked between her legs in shame.

How could she have let this happened? Yes, it had been her intention to surrender herself in the place of her brother, but not like this! Not... like this.

But it was too late.

She had taken the bait.

And now she would go down in humiliation rather than with dignity. The one thing she had hoped to preserve after certain death was her saiyan pride.

Now Kafara had stripped her of that too and apparently made her some kind of lab experiment.

It was disgusting.

 _She_ was disgusting.

"Her heart rate is increasing, Squad Leader. Should we give her another dose of morphine?"

"Leave her be. She can't do anything in her state. Only when her palpitations get dangerously high do we prescribe more."

"Yes, Squad Leader."

"So..." The new voice was nervous and Caulifla managed to catch a disembodied shape move past her. "What now?" His voice grew falsely cheerful. "I propose we go out for drinks! What do you say, guys?"

Nobody deigned to respond to him.

But then another new voice sounded, heavy and tired. "Muto."

"... Sorry. I, uh, didn't think of that..."

"Squad Leader?" The one known as Moblit prompted. "Are you okay?"

"... No. No, not yet." Squad Leader's voice became sharper. "Please mind your own business."

"Squad Leader, with all due respect, this is as much as my business as it is yours. Yvonne was under my command as well."

Caulifla stopped tuning in at this point, uninterested in whatever drama they had.

So she slept.

And she dreamed.

* * *

 _When her ninth birthday was approaching (though she did not know it), she was rescued from Hell._

 _"Renso," she choked as she saw his face for the first time in months. "You..." For the first time since she had laid in the bed with her parents, she cried openly as she ran into the open arms of her brother._

 _"I'm here for you, Cauli." His strong, deep voice was a comfort that she had not experienced for those long and lonely months without Olive's presence._

 _"Don't leave me!" She grabbed her brother's shirt and clenched her small fists around the fabric. "Why didn't you come home, Renso? Why didn't you come home? Please don't leave me!"_

 _She sounded so genuinely terrified and desperate that Renso could do nothing but hug her as tight as he could and rub comforting circles on her back as she cried, demanding answers that he could not give because they weren't worthy enough._

 _Even when she beat her fists on his broad chest, he could not answer. Instead, he held her even tighter than he thought was possible, ignoring the bewildered stares of Caulifla's housemates._

 _"I let her down," Caulifla blubbered. "I was the one who told her to play in the pond. I didn't know she would get sick! Honest!"_

 _At that, Renso glanced up at the saddened face of Pepper, who stood to the left of them, watching with a heavy heart._

 _"I was supposed to protect her! Mom said so! I'm Rutah's Guardian!" She heaved, panting heavily, tear tracks staining her cheeks. "I swore. I swore to her. I broke my promise." She glanced up at Renso, who shivered at her imploring gaze. "Don't you understand, Renso? I broke a promise."_

 _Renso stroked her hair. "Cauli... Rutah's death wasn't your fault. None of it was. Mother would never blame you for something you couldn't control. None of us saw it coming." He clutched her and brought her even closer to him. "Some very, very bad people took them away. Not you."_

 _At last, Caulifla's gaze seemed to uncloud. "I... I see." The words were so cold, so clinical that Renso had to flinch. It was as if she had just reached some kind of epiphany._

 _"What do you see, Cauli?" He had to fight his own brewing storm of emotions to keep his voice even. It was useless - it wavered anyway._

 _"I spent the first month with Rutah," Caulifla said, trying to sound as firm as she could. "But it was Olive who died instead." She paused before blinking. "I won't make the same mistake again. Olive was nothing to me. She didn't play with me. Rutah did. Right, Renso?"_

 _Renso could not find it in himself to reply._

 _Instead, he just burst into mournful tears._

 _And cried._

 _And cried._

* * *

 _"Big bro, I'm cold," Caulifla said, rubbing her red nose, her upper lip raw from sandpapering it with low quality tissues._

 _Ever since Renso had brought her back from foster care after months of signing all sorts of documents, Caulifla had taken to calling him 'big bro' at the most random times. He didn't want to think that it was a coping mechanism. It isn't, he constantly told himself. She was just learning the values of family... right?_

 _Truthfully, he did not know and was content with his ignorance for the time being._

 _"Sorry, Cauli, but you know there's no heating." Renso passed a hand through his hair, which was getting longer by the day. He never found any time to cut it, especially now that he was legally responsible for his sister until she came of age. Right now, he was focusing on moving everything from their old home to their new one, which Renso had built with his own two hands._

 _"Right," Caulifla grumbled, scowling. "Of course there isn't. There better be at least a fireplace at our new home."_

 _"Don't you worry about it Cauli. We won't have any electricity but we can make do. The stove there is great!"_

 _"It better be..."_

 _"Have you packed all your clothes yet?"_

 _"... No."_

 _"Huh?! What are you waiting for then, go pack everything you want to keep!"_

 _"Yeah, yeah! Chill out, big bro."_

 _"If I chilled out I'd be frozen to death."_

 _"Wow, cynical much."_

 _"Do you even know what that word means?"_

 _"Sh-shut up you dork!"_

 _Renso laughed as his sister stormed off, hopefully to pack._

 _In her room, Caulifla was halfheartedly sifting through her closet. "Yes, no, yes, no..." Her hand brushed against something plastic as she stopped. "Huh? Now what's this...?"_

 _She pulled out a plastic package. Inside, there was a maroon sweater just waiting to be worn. Just from a glance, Caulifla could tell that it was made with the softest material and knitted with the utmost love and care. Perhaps it was something her mother had left behind for her?_

 _Caulifla flipped the parcel so that she was facing the back. It turned out that it wasn't from her mother after all, but instead from a family friend called Fennel who, in the note attached to the plastic, claimed that she knitted it for Caulifla to wear when her body was mature enough._

 _Like every other child, Caulifla felt that she was plenty mature enough to wear the sweater, not really grasping the fact that the sweater would be three sizes too big for her. Smiling eagerly, she tore open the package and took out the sweater._

 _"Cool!"_

 _She wriggled into it, the material keeping in her body warmth. She sighed blissfully, thankful to be relieved from the biting cold. It was only then she realized just how large the jumper was. She tried rolling the sleeves up so her hands could actually be seen but they just kept slipping down again. Unbothered, she merely shrugged and made do with what she had._

 _"Cauli!" Renso called from the other room. "Are you okay? You're being pretty quiet and it's creepy!"_

 _"What do you mean creepy?!"_

 _When Renso burst into peals of laughter, Caulifla groaned and hid her face in her oversized sweater even though she knew Renso couldn't see her. She had taken the bait. Damn, when would she stop being so foolish?_

 _Today, it had been Renso who one upped her._

 _But tomorrow it could easily be someone far more dangerous._

* * *

 ** _A/N: Hello, dear readers! I have returned. Not that I would leave permanently if given the choice. You guys are like the blood in my veins. The thing that keeps me going. Every single review I get is precious._**

 ** _You know what I was thinking? Fan art. I really want to make fan art for DBS and maybe my fic but I couldn't draw a stick figure if I tried. Whenever I do circles in functions, my circle graphs always end up looking like a very misshapen potato._**

 ** _That's too bad... Oh well, I still have my skills in... uh... eating. Yeah, I love eating._**

 ** _I have a new oneshot up in the Super category called The Moonlight Express and would really love it if you left a review or two!_**

 ** _Have a nice day everyone!~_**


	32. Strings

_**A/N: To that one reviewer that left a big fat chunk of text, thanks for that little wake up call. You're the one who spurred me to update. If you want an explanation for my absence, then just scroll to the bottom. Other than that, let's get right into the story~**_

* * *

"One more!" howled Champa, hunching over. "One more time!"

Vados sighed, exasperated. "Really, Lord Champa, it's truly wonderful that you've become so committed to this but please do not overwork yourself. You don't want all that hard work to go to waste with all those pulled muscles you're bound to get, do you?"

The two were currently occupying a training room which Champa had ordered Vados to create for the purpose of exercising. There were a godly amount of workout equipment inside, including a treadmill which they had gotten from earth. Champa had just finished running for hours on end on that very same treadmill.

"I don't care!" Champa hissed, wiping the sweat on his forehead off with the back of his hand. "That bastard Beerus has been making fun of me again. I'll show him... fucking anorexic dickhead."

"Language, Lord Champa."

"Hrr, shut up, Vados!" His legs wobbled as he stumbled off the treadmill. "I'm hungry. Make me a snack."

But Vados shook her head. "No snacks for you, Lord Champa." She produced a green smoothie which she had kept in her staff dimension. "And before you start complaining, it was you who ordered me to put you on a strict diet."

"But I - "

"Eating twenty nine pork chops instead of thirty does not count as dieting, Lord Champa."

"Vados - "

"Neither is drinking two of earth's 'Coca-Cola's instead of three."

"JUST LET ME SPEAK, DAMMIT!" Huffing, he snatched the smoothie from Vados and started slurping it, his nose scrunching in disgust as if he had just swallowed an expired cube of cheese.

"Did you have something to say, Lord?"

Champa spluttered before glaring angrily at Vados. "Now look what you've made me do! I forgot what I was going to say." Suddenly, Champa clutched his heart. "V-Vados..."

Vados instantly straightened, ignoring the tugging feeling she felt in her navel. Her eyes widened in alarm. Though it seemed like Champa was entering cardiac arrest, Vados knew that this wasn't the case. All she could do was curse their own foolishness as Champa convulsed one last time and she entered her sleep mode, frozen until the next God of Destruction took Champa's place.

Behind their backs, while they were busy obsessing over Champa's new diet, the Supreme Kai of Universe 6 had been killed.

Light years away, in a world once sacred, the decapitated head of Supreme Kai Fuwa rolled on the ground before coming to a stop as a result of friction. A black sludge enveloped the head, devouring the remaining flesh until only a skull remained. A few yards away lay the skeleton Fuwa's attendant, still donned in his maroon and purple gi, his tall hat tucked underneath his remains.

"Too easy," Kafara snorted. "What were they thinking, life linking the God of Destruction with a weakling like him?" She flicked her wrist and the black sludge returned to her body. A glow surrounded her as refreshing godly energy filled her body, extracted from the dead Kais.

Then she was gone, as if she had never been.

But the skeletons of two Kais told otherwise.

* * *

Son Goku was not the type of person to plan things methodically. He was the type that relied solely on his battle instinct and charged in guns blazing. So when his hand was forced to take a more methodical approach, one might say he was far, far away from his comfort zone.

While he preferred a direct confrontation with the demon woman, that kind of approach would risk the safety of Caulifla and Renso, both of whom Kafara undoubtedly still had in her clutches. The only positive outlook in this situation was that Kafara was hopefully honorable enough to uphold her end of the deal and free Renso.

But being the simple man he was, Goku quickly came up with an equally simple solution.

"Why don't we just ask her if we can come aboard her ship?"

After scouting, Goku had discovered said ship a few hours ago, and though there were chi blockers fixed onto the vehicle preventing him from sensing any energy, he knew by instinct that it was occupied by many, many lifeforms.

"And why would she do that?" voiced Cabba.

They were currently sitting around the kitchen table, working out a rescue plan.

"She said it would be best if I was there too," Goku pointed out, recalling the woman's wicked smile.

"Um," Kale said. "A-are you sure...? What if we lose you too? Isn't there a better plan?"

"At this point, no," Cabba sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. "Goku's plan is simple and full of holes but probably the most sound we have so far. If we're going to go through with it, then we should go immediately."

"Wait," Goku interrupted. "You two don't need to put yourself in danger like this. Kafara's not after you - only me. I'm going to be honest with you, I doubt that you'll be much help if you come. She'll hurt you."

"But Caulifla," Kale protested weakly. "I-I want to see her too..."

Cabba exhaled and leaned back, obviously frustrated at what Goku pointed out. The older saiyan was right: they wouldn't be much help at all if they were to follow Goku to Kafara's ship. Still, there had to be a different way to help Caulifla and Goku. Pulling strings from the sidelines was just as important.

"I have a friend who might be able to help," Cabba murmured, eyeing the evidence they had collected on the table. "Kale, you should come with me. If Kafara's out there, she might use you as whatever leverage for Caulifla."

"A-ah, okay."

"Her ship is really big," Goku noted. "If I fly high enough I'll be able to see it." He raised two fingers to his forehead in preparation of instant transmission. While he could not sense the lifeforms in the ship, he could afford a few guesses. "Good luck, you guys."

"You too."

* * *

Cabba watched her eye twitch in consideration as she chewed her pen. Behind him, Kale was lingering, fidgeting nervously. Which was understandable considering that they were in the presence of one of the sharpest minds to ever grace Planet Sadala with her gifts.

"What's in it for me?" she inquired, not breaking gaze with him. "Is there any money involved?"

"... No. But please, Raidashi, if you could discover more about Kafara's origins then they might be a great help." He tried to shove the ash-stained kettle into her arms but she dodged him.

"Ahh..." Raidashi rubbed her temples before pushing her glasses up. "You're lucky that my loyalties don't lie with the Kafara Empire, even if the King's does. Pass it. I expect some sort of repayment later, okay? But don't expect me to get back to you soon either. I have other things to be working on."

Cabba nodded. "Thank you."

"Whatever." Raidashi's brows knitted together. "Just be careful, okay? There's not a person in the universe who hasn't heard of Kafara by now. She's dangerous and sure as hell bad news. If you're going to stand up to her, you'd better be well equipped."

"What about you? Won't you stand up to her too?" Cabba inquired.

Raidaishi chuckled. "Me? Hell no. I value my life, thank you very much. I've never been a fighter, Cabba, you of all people should know that. You may like being on the front lines but... not everyone's like you. For me, I'd rather stick to the sidelines and see what kind of strings I can pull from there." She gave him and Kale a two fingered salute. "Like I said, stay safe. Please," she added as an afterthought.

"Thanks again. Come on, Kale."

* * *

"Lady Kafara." The guard bowed on one knee before her before rising. "There's a visitor who demands your presence."

"Oho?" Kafara melted into view from the shadows. "And just who might this visitor be?" She licked her lips. "From what I'm sensing, it feels like a certain Son Goku."

"Er, yes," said the guard. "That was what he introduced himself as."

"Thank you for informing me." Elegantly, Kafara made her way to the door. "Oh, and one last thing."

"Yes, my lady?"

"I apologize. But I cannot count on a grunt like you keeping your mouth shut about whatever that blasted saiyan has told you."

In the blink of an eye, the guard was dead, a finger beam piercing the area where his heart was located. The organ itself had likely exploded on impact. What was worse was that death was not immediate. Kafara regarded the dying soldier for a moment before a dark hole appeared beneath his bleeding, broken body. He disappeared into Kafara's pocket dimension just as the opening closed.

"Son Goku!" Kafara boomed as she found herself outside the ship using her instantaneous movement. "I've been expecting you. I suppose you're out here wanting access to my ship?"

The saiyan in question tilted his head, smirking ever so slightly. "How did you guess?"

"It wasn't difficult. Welcome to my ship, saiyan." She appeared next to him and touched his shoulder before zipping back to the interiors of her ship. "What do you think?"

"Nice place." He tapped the wall with one knuckle. "Why can't I sense any chi from outside?"

"Chi blockers." Her eyes gleamed. "Technology can do wondrous things, can't it?"

Goku wavered, unsure whether to agree or not. While he gladly wanted to cut to the chase, perhaps he should continue grooming Kafara's mood. "It can," he agreed, wanting her off his back. "Kafara. What did you do with Caulifla?"

"... So blunt. I guess even someone as patient as you can have that patience worn thin when your loved ones are on the line. Did you only come for her?"

"Yeah. Problem?"

"Yes, there is a problem," Kafara said, frowning. She curled around Goku, her body practically liquid as she did so. "You see, saiyan, I have business with Caulifla. However, I am willing to accept a compromise."

 _What kind of compromise?_ He voiced his thoughts and Kafara chuckled, as if it were the funniest question in the world.

"I will return Caulifla to you," she began, hints of wicked amusement gleaming in her dark eyes. Her skin, white as bone, was cold against the fabric of his gi. "As a substitute for yourself. I am in need of a body like yours for my own reasons." She held up three fingers. "She will be returned to you in three days. Until then, you will stay in my ship as a guest. Then you will surrender yourself to me."

Ah, the ultimate ultimatum. Would you give yourself up for the love of your life? Lesser men would have walked away by now. But Goku was no man. He was a saiyan - one that had died many times and had more than enough near-death incidents to fear the concept. Goku had supped on death.

And now he was not afraid.

"Deal."

Kafara held out her hand, baring her fangs in a toothy grin. "Wise choice."

But Goku didn't take it. "But if I'm going to give myself up anyway, why the three days?"

The woman didn't waver. Instead, she only grew more flippant, if that was even possible. "Think of it as a... mandatory cooling off period. Then she will be freed and you will take her place as per our agreement." She twitched her hand, black flame dancing on her pale fingertips. "Now do we have a deal or not?"

Goku lifted his hand.

"If you're going to attack me, you're an idiot," Kafara said bluntly. "You may have me overpowered at this stage but I have the power to kill Caulifla just by willing it."

"Wasn't planning to," Goku countered. "Just thought we should shake on it."

She smirked. "Heh." Their hands met, their fingers intertwining. Kafara's eyes gleamed. "It's been a pleasure doing business with you, Son Goku. I'm relying on your saiyan honor. Feel free to explore my ship. I'll have someone show you to your room."

"Great."

And then she was gone, using her instantaneous movement to vanish as quickly as she had come.

* * *

"New mission for you, Captain," Petra squawked as she entered Chaya's quarters. "I ran into Lady Kafara down the hall and she told me she updated your assignment list."

"Thank you Petra," Chaya said shortly. "And please, do knock next time."

Petra flushed. "A-ah, apologies, sir."

"Whatever. Now get out."

Once Petra had scurried off to do whatever Petra did, Chaya called out, "Computer: Display my assignments."

"Assignments displayed," the pleasant female voice of the computer replied. A hologram in the middle of the room, indeed displaying Chaya's assignments in alien writing.

"You're kidding," Chaya deadpanned when she read her new mission. "Escort Son Goku to his room...? Computer: Display any available information about Son Goku."

The computer buffered for a few seconds before saying, "Son Goku: Registered as a guest upon the ship. Species: Saiyan."

"What about power level?" Chaya prompted. "Do I have to put a band around his neck too?"

"Power level: Unavailable."

Chaya cursed softly. Well, if Kafara wanted something, she would have to do it for her. Even if it was a task as tedious as "Escort Son Goku to his room".

Soon, she found herself walking down those familiar winding halls, following the computer's directions to Goku's current location until a saiyan with palm-shaped hair appeared in her line of vision.

"Are you Son Goku?" she inquired.

"Yep. And you?"

Chaya didn't let her surprise show. "Chaya."

There was a knowing gleam in his eyes that disturbed her; shook her; but she didn't let her uneasiness show. She would not show weakness in front of this _male._ So she stiffly continued, "I've been assigned to escort you to your room. Please follow me."

"Lead the way."

As they walked, Chaya's hope of the journey being a quiet one was dashed.

"Say... you're a saiyan too, right?"

"... Yes."

"Cool! Does that mean you can also turn super saiyan?"

 _Super saiyan? The fuck's a super saiyan?_ "What?"

His excitement died down. "I guess not then."

"What is this super saiyan you speak of?" Chaya demanded. "I've never heard of such a thing."

"Huh? Don't the saiyans over here have a legend about the super saiyan too?"

Chaya scowled. "I did not grow up with the saiyans. I know nothing about saiyan society or culture. I may be a saiyan, Son Goku, but I could not be any further from one. I've lived on this ship almost my entire life."

She didn't know what she was expecting from him, but she certainly wasn't expecting him to smile.

"Hey, you're just like me then. I never grew up on Planet Vegeta either. I was sent to Earth as a baby and lived there ever since."

"Planet Vegeta?" Chaya echoed as they neared Goku's room, room 1408. "I was under the impression that the home world of the saiyans was called Planet Sadala, not Planet Vegeta."

Goku didn't answer immediately. When he did, it was only one word, "Right."

 _What is he hiding from me?_

"Here," Chaya said gruffly. "And try not to cause any trouble while you're here. I don't know what the hell Kafara wants with you but I won't tolerate any bullshit from you. I don't care if you are a saiyan or not. Try anything and you'll be hurt."

"I dunno... Kafara might not appreciate it," he pointed out.

 _Kafara can go shove a stick up her ass. If he hurts the kids, I swear I'll...!_ "I'm sure she won't mind if I bruise you up a bit."

To her ire, he didn't seem alarmed at all. He looked more amused than anything else. _Smug bastard!_ She tried to get a reading on his power level but she could tell that it was suppressed greatly. Surely this saiyan couldn't possibly have a mere 90 as a power level?

"Thanks for showing me here," Goku said. "Uh, how do I open the door?"

"Put your thumb on the scanner. The Computer already has you registered so it should respond."

"Okay, thanks. I'll see you around!"

Chaya grimaced. She really _didn't_ want to be seeing him around. So she scoffed and whirled, stalking down the hallways and back to her quarters.

* * *

Caulifla opened her eyes. All there was was green. Again. Her head throbbed but she couldn't groan - there was some kind of mask attached to her face. This situation was definitely familiar, she decided.

"Do you think she can contain it? She doesn't look that strong to me..."

"That's because she's wearing the collar. I'm sure her power level's pretty high. Why else would Lady Kafara pick her?"

"I guess."

Suddenly, a furry face obscured her view. Caulifla's eyes widened in surprise but otherwise didn't react. The face shrunk until it was normal sized, the owner having leaned back.

"Damn, Squad Leader, you sure gave her a scare!" one of the scientists chuckled.

"Quiet, Moblit."

"Sorry."

An Arlokian sighed. "I'm pretty tired of waiting. When is Lady Kafara going to let us start?"

"In due time," the Squad Leader, a zoorian if Caulifla wasn't mistaken, said. "I'm sure we'll be starting soon."

"Indeed you will."

And then she appeared. That wicked, unnatural woman with the toothy smile. For the first time since she awoke, she began to struggle.

"Shit! Her heart rate's off the roof! Use morphine now, Squad Leader? Lady Kafara?"

But Kafara only held up one hand. "No morphine will be required. She'll calm down soon enough. I want you to start the experiments now." She opened up her pocket dimension with one flick of a wrist, an action that Caulifla had seen many times in her short lifetime. A vial of _something_ was lifted out of the dimension and given to the Squad Leader, who held it with great care.

"We'll do our best, Lady," Squad Leader said solemnly, bowing her head. "But there are no guarantees that she will survive. Even if we manage to successfully force this... god chi...? into her, there will likely be long term effects and she might not survive for long after that."

"That doesn't matter," Kafara said curtly, getting more impatient. "I don't need her to survive. My body cannot contain such raw energy, but she..." Her eyes shifted to Caulifla and the saiyan shivered, feeling her skin burn from Kafara's gaze despite the cold, green fluid she was suspended in. "She is able. She will be able to condense it to the point where I am able to contain it as well." Kafara neared the tube Caulifla was inside, stroking the glass. "You're a wonderful being, Caulifla... I'm so excited for what comes next. What about you?"

If Caulifla's limbs didn't feel so heavy, she would have certainly flipped the woman off.

Kafara moved back. "Go and do your work, Head Technician Niifa. I expect results within three days."

"Three days?! With all due respect, my lady, but those time constraints are - "

"Three days, no more and no less. And do not raise your voice at me again or I will have your head."

"... Yes, my lady."

And then she was gone, disappearing into thin air.

Taking in a deep breath, Niifa sighed. "Release her, Moblit; Benzert; Muto. It's time to begin."

"Yes, Squad Leader."

As they took the tube from its place, with Caulifla still inside it, Niifa leaned into the glass again, her eyes filled with regret. "I'm sorry for this, but it will hurt. You will experience the most pain ever imaginable. Prepare yourself, comrade."

 _I am not your comrade._

The green fluid began to drain away. Caulifla closed her eyes as she let it drain, suddenly feeling the wires hooked up to her a lot more. Her neck throbbed from the band that snaked around it.

Soon, Caulifla stood completely naked, the wires having retracted to wherever they came from in the tube. The oxygen mask was removed from her face.

The scientists stood back.

Caulifla opened her eyes.

* * *

 _ **A/N: Oh boy, here we go. After nearly a month with no activity, I'm back. I'm currently in the midst of studying and doing my final exams, which has been extremely time consuming. I've only been able to update Kindergarten Bully as a form of stress relief. Yes, I'm giving excuses, because, to be frank, I have some to give. I've still got more exams to look forward to as well as some other issues. I've also entered a course for Extension Mathematics outside of school to help me prepare with what I have to face next year in Year 11.**_

 ** _My mother was also diagnosed with high cholesterol, high blood pressure and fatty liver. I'm currently trying to help her lose weight so her health can finally stabilize. I'm trying to get together a diet and exercise program for her as well as try to restrain her from eating so many snacks (heh, did you see the beginning of this chapter? Guess you know where that came from)._**

 ** _I'll try to get the next chapter up earlier but there are no promises._**

 ** _And finally, the most pathetic reason I have for the long wait is because I simply didn't know how to go about writing this chapter and suffered from immense writer's block._**

 ** _During Goku's three day stay, we'll finally get to see where the OCs from the hated chapter 20 come into the story. Yes, I'm aware that not everyone thinks OCs are the bomb dot com like me, but I'm not taking them out. They will still be in the story no matter how much people gripe about it._**

 ** _Oh, and did you catch the last detail?_**

 ** _Yes, Cauli was naked all along ;)_**

 ** _If you're still reading, thanks a lot for sticking with me._**


	33. Little mishaps

_**A/N: Well, this came out earlier than I expected. I have three more exams to do before school becomes a bludge and I graduate from junior high.**_

* * *

The scientists eyed her warily as Caulifla sunk into a defensive stance, her pupils dilated. As much as she told herself that she could take them on if she really tried, she knew that this was not to be. The collar strapped around her neck had somehow locked all of her power away.

But corner an animal, and it will attack.

Caulifla hissed as the scientists all stepped closer to her at once, forming an arc around her.

"Caulifla," Niifa said coaxingly, holding her arms out. "There are two ways to go about this. Don't make things more difficult for yourself."

"Get away from me," Caulifla growled, her voice hoarse from disuse. She nearly stumbled over the fallen tube she had been in just moments ago when she backed away. "Don't come any closer."

They all exchanged a look.

Sighing, Niifa made a strange gesture with her hand. At once, Benzert the arlokian and Muto the octopodian moved forward faster than Caulifla's eyes could follow. In an instant, Benzert had locked his meaty arms around Caulifla's biceps and lifted her above the ground. Looking like he was doing the worst thing in the world, Muto reluctantly wrapped his tentacles around her kicking legs. Caulifla shivered when one of Muto's many arms curled around her waist to keep her still.

"I was hoping we wouldn't have to resort to this," Niifa said, her voice cold and clinical. Her gaze followed Muto, Benzert and Caulifla as they put her down and strapped her to a slanted operating table. Caulifla screeched in fury as she tried to tug her wrists from the metal clasps. Benzert and Muto moved quietly and efficiently as they hooked metal chains to shallow recesses on her collar before hooking her up to more medicines. Medicines that would hopefully keep her alive during the procedures. "Do not mistake me as one who gets pleasure from the pain of others. I hope that you will hold nothing against me, comrade."

"I am not your comrade!" Caulifla shrieked, her eyes blazing with a reawakened fire. "We are not allies! I am your _enemy! You will always be my enemy!_ "

The zoorian hardly looked fazed by her outburst. "So be it." She walked to where Caulifla was trapped and looked her in the eye. "We may not look like it, but all of us in this room are warriors."

"What are you trying to say?" Caulifla snarled. "Spit it out already!"

Niifa shook her head. "Don't worry about it, saiyan."

Caulifla raised her eyebrows.

"You told me yourself that we are not comrades. You are now saiyan to me. Or would you prefer Vessel?"

A mask was put over her beautiful face by Moblit, preventing her from answering.

"I'll reiterate, saiyan. I do not get pleasure from pain. It is with great regret that I must inform you that this will hurt.

 _"A lot._ "

* * *

"Hah!" The soldiers launched a punch into the air. "Hah!"

At the front, a well toned soldier stood, one of high ranking based on the crest he bore on the breast of his uniform. The rest were copying their movements from this fellow relentlessly.

"Hah!" The air whistled as fists and feet launched everywhere in a single direction. "Hah!"

Roaring, the soldier at the front completed one final combat move, the rest following as per usual. Smirking, the soldier turned to face the others. A humble servant bowed to him before handing him a towel, which he used to dab away the sweat he had accumulated on his forehead.

As the soldiers dispersed into their own groups during the break, the head soldier watched with his cat-like eyes, his gaze lingering on every single man and woman in the room.

"Colonel Bijou?" the servant said carefully, keeping his head low. "Your towel?"

Bijou hardly looked at the servant as he tossed the towel to him. "I expect a fresh one later."

Gulping, the servant nodded and scurried off, nearly dropping the towel once or twice.

"Colonel," one of the few female soldiers addressed him as she sidled up to him. "Is it true that the Wraith has returned to serve Lady Kafara?"

Ah, yes. He had not forgotten about the rumors that had circulated around the ship in the past twenty four hours. In fact, he had paid very, very close attention to the words that were thrown around by all kinds of officers.

"I cannot validate that, er..."

"Petra, sir. Zoorian from South Galaxy. A member of Captain Chaya's Elite Squad."

"Yes, you," Bijou said, waving his hand dismissively. "Rumors are just that, Petra: rumors." His eyes gleamed. "But, personally, I do believe that the Wraith has returned. Perhaps my lady would be so kind as to let me... reunite with her." He turned his body to face the window, where he could the night stars. "The Wraith is an old friend of mine. In fact, I was the only one she allowed herself to share that particular secret with."

"Oh?" Petra's gaze brightened with interest as she became increasingly invested in the conversation. "Do tell, sir."

Bijou chuckled. "Why are you so curious, Petra? Curious about our... sexcapades, perhaps?"

At that, Petra flushed an even deeper red than her feather hue and ducked her head. "Ah. I was not aware about the nature of your relationship. My deepest apologies, sir. Punish me as you will."

"I think you knowing that little fact is punishing enough," Bijou remarked. The bird was lucky that he decided not to solicit her for sex. He wasn't sure if they even shared the same kind of...

"Is everything alright, Colonel? You look a little pale."

Bijou stiffened. "Everything is fine, Petra. Now leave me be. We'll be starting again in three minutes."

"Of course, sir."

Everyone was getting back into their positions again when someone appeared at the door. Eyes narrowing, Bijou fell out of his kata midway, prompting the other soldiers to do the same.

"Huh?" The man scratched his head, an innocent expression on his face. "Is this the training room?"

Some of the less mature soldiers tittered at his question but Bijou answered evenly, "Yes, it is. How may I help you?"

The stranger grinned. "Great! The name's Goku, and I've been looking for a spar to pass the time. Wanna fight with me?"

"Is he challenging the Colonel?!" someone hissed to their friend. "This guy has a death wish for sure."

"You must be joking," Bijou scoffed, having gotten a reading on his power level the moment he stepped within the facility. " _You_ want to fight _me_? Sorry, pal, but I'm way out of your league. Can't you sense the difference between our strength? Or are you unable to do that?"

"Don't worry about me," Goku said flippantly. "Thanks for the concern, but I'll be fine."

"If you get hurt, it'll be your fault," Bijou stated, folding his arms across his muscular chest. "I have better things to do with my time than to fight you..." He sneered. "But I cannot decline such a direct challenge. Prepare yourself, fool."

"Heh."

All the soldiers dispersed once more, sitting or standing in a ring around Goku and Bijou. The fighters stood in the center of the room. Smirking, Goku shifted into a stance. On the other hand, Bijou didn't move an inch, keeping a relaxed, casual posture.

Naturally, people began to talk.

"Man, this Goku guy doesn't stand a chance against the Colonel."

"Pity. He's quite good looking," said a female soldier. "Too bad I'm not into weaklings."

"Did you sense his power level? It's only in the nineties! What kind of species is he?"

"He looks saiyan to me," said Petra, the only one who had ever heard of Goku before. _What are you hiding, Son Goku?_ _No saiyan can be that weak. No saiyan._

Her comrades seemed to share the same thoughts.

"He can't be! He's too weak. Even the weakest saiyan is at least in the thousands."

"Maybe he's a special case."

"Aren't you going to take a stance?" Goku inquired, never keeping his eyes off Bijou's figure. "It's awfully disrespectful not to, you know."

The soldiers roared with laughter.

"You hear this guy?! The man's insane! Talking respect to the Colonel like that when its obvious he has none of his own."

Bijou rolled his eyes and took a lazy stance. "If it pleases you." To his ire, Goku didn't seem at all intimidated. The man was either stupid, fearless, or both.

The two stood each other down for a few more seconds before Goku moved first. In the blink of an eye, he was gone, before reappearing right in front of Bijou and throwing his fist out.

Shocked, Bijou just managed to bring up his arms for a solid block. _The fuck?!_ The impact literally shook his bones. _How?!_ As Goku jumped back to where he was standing before, Bijou regarded him with much more caution than he did before. Ignoring the soreness of his arms, he played off his unease. "So you can hide your power level, huh?" A sharp grin graced his features. "You're a pretty damn sneaky bastard, you know that?"

"And you're not as strong as I expected," Goku retorted.

Immediately, Bijou twitched. "Don't get too overconfident. That will be your downfall." Spreading out his arms, he began to power up.

"Damn! The Colonel's getting serious."

"H-hey, this new guy is stronger than I expected. Did you feel the spike in his power? Now it's back to its low level again."

"The guy is pretty sneaky, that's for sure."

Petra nodded as she observed Goku and Bijou, the latter having just finished powering up. _So there is more to this Son Goku. I'm impressed. His power was almost as great as my base power. Bijou has a challenge on his hands, but I'm sure he can handle it._

"Heh, you're more of a fool than I took you for," Bijou taunted, flaring an indigo aura. "I'm now operating at fifty percent. What say you about my power?"

"You remind me of someone I fought once before," replied Goku, unfazed by the sudden widening of the gap between their powers. "He liked to put things in percentages too."

"Oh? And what happened to him?"

Goku cracked his knuckles. "He lost."

Once again, Goku launched himself at Bijou, attacking furiously. The audience were on the edge of their seats as Bijou blocked each of his blows with equal ferocity. Their bout of fists and ended for a brief moment, Bijou being the only one even sweating.

"I have to say, you're better than I expected, being able to keep up with my fifty percent form."

Goku shrugged. "What can I say? I do train a lot."

Maybe it was the flippant tone his voice took that pissed Bijou off, but the Colonel absolutely blew his top, charging in at one hundred percent in a fury while still retaining the years of martial arts training he had. But, one way or another, Goku managed to find a way to parry his blows and attack back with twice as much power.

Petra noticed that a lot of jaws had dropped by this time. She couldn't blame her comrades for displaying their surprise. She too was shocked by this sudden turn around. It was becoming increasingly clear just how large the gap between Goku and Bijou was.

The Colonel was no fool. That fact only seemed to further fuel his rage and make him attack faster and harder than before. Finally, he landed an uppercut on Goku, dealing the first real damage to him.

But there was no time to celebrate. Goku half-grinned, clutching his aching jaw. "You're good."

"Shut up," Bijou grunted. "You have me totally outclassed here and you know it. Smug bastard." His power flared one last time before dropping down to what it normally was. He fell backward onto the ground. "You win. Happy?"

"Sure am." To everyone's surprise, Goku walked over to where Bijou was lying and held his hand out. "That was a fun spar."

Bijou stared at the hand for a few seconds before slapping it away. Wordlessly, he stood shakily and stalked out of the room, not even pausing to bother with the blundering servant who had just returned with a fresh towel from the laundry.

Goku stared after the disgraced Colonel for a few heartbeats before turning to regard the audience, who were now standing and beginning to disperse. "Anyone up for a spar?"

Almost everyone backed away, having learned their lesson when they witnessed the powerful Colonel Bijou suffer defeat at the hands of this man. No, saiyan. He had to be saiyan. It simply wasn't possible for him to hold that kind of strength and look like what he did without being a saiyan.

Despite the reluctance of the soldiers, Petra stepped forward. "If you'd give me the honor, I would like to duel with you."

Almost at once, Goku got into a fighting stance. "Challenge accepted. Let's do this!"

Petra grimaced before grinning, displaying the razor sharp teeth she had in her beak. An odd combination. "I'll be making you sing a different tune soon, Goku."

* * *

The avian known as Petra had been quite the challenge in his base form, Goku had to admit as he walked the journey back to his room. If it weren't for the glowing numbers on the guest suites, he'd never know which one was his.

There had been instances where she had gotten a few good blows in with her sharp talons and Goku was really feeling the consequences. Beneath his torn gi, his chest and abdomen was likely littered with a smattering of bruises and cuts.

"Man," Goku sighed as the towel around his neck soaked up his sweat. "I feel like I've already passed these rooms before... it's like I'm going around in a circle." He scratched his head. "Where the heck is 1408?"

The only answer he got was a loud, rumbling complaint from his stomach. Ah, yes. He had neglected his belt for a while. When was the last time he had eaten? His mouth started to water as he imagined stuffing himself with all kinds of foods.

Switching his priorities, Goku wandered around in search for the kitchens rather than his room. During his wandering, he had not encountered many people on the ship. Soldiers were usually away on all sorts of missions or doing some other thing.

 _I wonder how Caulifla is holding up._ A pang of guilt entered his heart. Sure he had offered himself in Caulifla's place, but what was the deal with this three day waiting period thing? And Kafara had gone out of her way to make his stay more comfortable. If he were to be honest with himself, the demon woman didn't really seem like the type to be hospitable to others, especially when you were technically a prisoner.

There was a part of him that longed to scour the ship for his lover and never stop until he either destroyed everything or found her. But Kafara was in the position of power here. She held the knife against Caulifla's throat. And if Goku wasn't careful, she would slice her neck open and let her bleed out.

A ripple of unease travelled down his spine. This really was quite a difficult position. He had the option of doing as Kafara wished and wait for his own likely demise and Caulifla's probable (only probable) freedom. And then, of course, he could defy her instructions and launch an elaborate rescue. But if he were to go with the second option... there were far too many things that could go wrong.

There were many, many factors to consider if he were to go with option B. And, frankly, Goku wasn't entirely sure if he could successfully pull it off.

Goku halted, a pleasant smell having wafted past his sniffer. Following his nose and locking in on a group of chis that seemed to be bustling around, Goku found himself standing in front of the double doors of what was obviously a kitchen.

Without hesitation, he grinned and pushed the door open. Five - no, _six_ \- surprised faces greeted him.

Goku raised a hand in greeting. "Yo!"

"And who," one of the males said, raising an eyebrow, "pray tell, are you?"

* * *

 _ **A/N: Tad shorter than my normal minimum of 3000 U.U**_


	34. Cold son, stiff canary

_**A/N: I still have dem three exams to do. Two for Mandarin and one for Geography. Goddammit.**_

* * *

"Uwaah!" River blurted out unhelpfully, his eyes sparkling with curiosity. "Another saiyan!"

Chaya whipped her head around and snarled at the older male. "Enough! He is not your friend, River, so do not treat him as such!"

"Aw, hey, I was doing no such thing, Chay — "

Archer blinked at the new saiyan, scratching his head. "Well, this is certainly unorthodox. Though I can't say I'm surprised if he really is saiyan." He probed at Goku's power level, his ears, pointed at the tip as were all the others' (save for Chaya's), twitching. "All saiyans always wander into the kitchen sooner or later. It's practically fact at this point."

"I'm Goku," said the male saiyan. "Since you asked." His stomach growled, making all of them sweatdrop. "Say... you guys have any grub I could eat?" He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "I haven't eaten in ages!"

"As if one saiyan wasn't enough," Gammy snorted, no real ire in her voice. "Looks like you've got some competition, Chaya."

"And we have more chow to make," Archer grumbled, letting Harper rub soothing circles on his knotted back. "As if we haven't already got enough mouths to feed with this one here." He jutted his thumb at Chaya, who scoffed and began to scarf down her meal as if to make a point. "See what I mean?"

"Stop treating him like he's one of your buddies, Archer," Chaya said through a mouthful of stew. "This guy has a motive and it's dangerous."

Goku blinked. "Wow, you're good."

"See? He even admits it!" _Though I'm not entirely sure just_ what _his motive is... To usurp Kafara's throne? ... He can't be that much of an idiot, can he?_

At that moment, Goku sat down opposite her on the wooden table and pointed at her food. "What's what you've got there? I kinda recognize the smell."

 _... I withdraw my previous statement._ "Seluin stew," Chaya said shortly. "It's a saiyan delicacy." _Hey, wait a minute..._ "How do you not know? Aren't you a saiyan too?"

"Haha, funny story... let's just say I haven't been back home for a long time."

Chaya narrowed his eyes at him but accepted his words anyway. If he was lying, she'd find out sooner or later. It seemed like Lady Fate was in a mischievous mood. There was no doubt she'd have more run-ins with this irritatingly cheerful excuse of a saiyan.

"Here you go," said Gammy, setting down a bowl of the same stew Chaya was eating in front of Goku. "Eat hearty!"

"Gee, thanks!" In a flash, the entire contents of the bowl were inside his stomach. "Can I have seconds, please?"

Gammy stared at him, sweatdropping. "Uh, sure, sugar cube. Why don't you try eating a little slower next time?"

Chaya cut in. "Word of advice, Gammy, never tell a hungry male saiyan to slow down in his eating. Or else he'll eat you."

"Duly noted. Though I doubt that this saiyan would want to eat something as old and chewy as me. He'd end up having all his teeth eroded!"

Emmett gave a brief peck on his wife's cheek as she bustled to the corner of the kitchen to ladle in more stew into Goku's bowl. As she did, River began to drown the saiyan with a flood of questions.

"So are you really a saiyan? What does Sadala look like? Are there aliens living there?! I heard the saiyans like to keep lesser races as slaves!"

Those were just a few of his questions and Goku's head was already spinning. "Slow down! Yeesh, you're not giving me any time to answer."

"Oops, sorry. It's just been ages since I've seen another saiyan and Yvonne wouldn't answer any questions I asked her. Half the time, it was like she was playing secret spy with her imaginary friend or something."

Chaya observed them with her obsidian eyes as they began to talk animatedly. She had completely tuned out of their conversation, focusing instead on savoring her meal. She could have finished the entire thing in a fraction of the time she was taking but she had learned to appreciate the more moderate things in life.

"Super saiyan? That sounds super cool. If you know what I mean."

Chaya's head snapped up. There it was again. This mysterious super saiyan. "Hey."

Both males turned to face her.

"What's this super saiyan you keep mentioning?" She calmly ate her stew in neat bites. "From what you've said before, it sounds like a transformation."

"It is," Goku affirmed, and for the first time in what seemed like eons, Chaya became genuinely invested in the conversation. "I would show you but I'd probably knock over a few things. I transform without much powering up but this is kind of a cramped space."

Indeed it was. The kitchen was likely one of the smallest facilities in the entire ship, and whenever Chaya visited, being taller and broader than the pointy-eared kitchen people, the space got a whole lot smaller. Add Goku into the mix and you might as well have shoved all of them in a small toilet cubicle.

"It's fine," Gammy said loudly, overhearing the conversation. "I have six different soups on the stove that I don't feel like remaking all over again!" She set down Goku's fifth bowl. "Eat hearty, sugar!"

"Thanks, ah, Gammy, was it?"

"That's me. If you need me, just call."

"How strong does super saiyan make you?" Chaya demanded. "Does your appearance change as well?"

"I'm not exactly sure how strong," Goku admitted, his brows knitted together in contemplation. "But, to answer your second question, yeah. My hair and eyebrows turn gold. But a quick dye job isn't the only thing that's special. I get a whole lot stronger too, obviously."

"Makes sense."

"Yo, Chay!" River nudged her and she sent him a withering glance.

"Don't call me that."

He ignored her. "I've been talking with Willow and she's heard some juicy gossip from Butterbutt. Apparently, this so-called legend's returned to Lady Kafara's beck and call. You're a soldier, yeah? Have you heard anything about that?"

 _Legend? The only strangers that have entered the ship recently are the Vessel and Goku. Could the legend be one of them? Goku did mention something about a legendary super saiyan._ "No, I haven't. And I'm not obliged to share any critical information with you, River, so butt out."

She didn't know why she expected him to drop the subject. This was River, after all. Like he always did, he simply went on like she hadn't even spoken. That was the thing with River — his hearing was what most described as selective.

"She's called the... the Wrath or something," he rambled on, butchering the name. "Wrath? Wreath? Wrecker?"

"The Wraith," Goku and Emmett said at the same time.

And once again, Chaya's attention was sparked. "The Wraith?" she echoed, curious. _Both Emmett and Goku know who she is! Which means the legend isn't Goku since 'she' obviously refers to a female. Then... the Vessel?_

It had to be. That was the only option that added up. Legendary status implied strength, and, from what the Chief had told her, that was definitely what Kafara was after. It was such a simple, but dangerous driving force. Ambition.

"Destroyer of Worlds," Emmett said, his face an impassive mask, "was another infamous title of hers. No one outside of Frost's closest ever knew her identity, and Kafara made it no secret that she killed all of his advisers. Which means that she's the only one that knows who the Wraith really is. If she showed up on your planet, you were doomed. Her name isn't any coincidence, some lucky survivors reported that she appeared like an apparition and started destroying all of their fertile land, eradicating around half the planet and three quarters of the population. She was brutal but efficient. A purger through and through."

As Emmett spun his story, Chaya noticed from the corner of her eye that Goku was becoming increasingly agitated. But by what? Was it Emmett's story that was making him tick? The way he described the Wraith as nothing but an apathetic beast? The cogs in her mind began to turn.

"But," Emmett continued, "rumor has it that there _is_ one other person that _might_ know who she is. Apparently, the Colonel Bijou was her lover in the past and the only one she trusted enough with her secret."

Goku frowned. "He's the guy that I fought earlier."

River nearly spat out the water he was drinking. "Hold up! You fought _Bijou_ and _survived?!_ And without hardly a scratch too! I mean, you're clothes are kind of torn but that's it! How strong are you?!"

 _Bijou,_ Chaya thought with no small amount of disgust. If the Wraith had really fallen for that womanizer in the past, she and Chaya would definitely not get along. Right now, she was imagining some basic buxom bitch with long, flowing blonde hair with a sultry expression on her face, even though the Vessel looked nothing like what she was imagining. The kind of girl that Bijou and most of the other males on the ship liked. _How did someone like Bijou ever become a Colonel? He probably has like twenty bastards with their mothers still awaiting child support._ She snorted at the thought, her lip curled into a sneer.

"Someone doesn't like the Colonel," River teased, poking her arm through the material of her uniform: a black spandex suit with special armor on the upper body. The design was reportedly based on traditional saiyan armor. "You jealous or something?"

"What do I have to be jealous of?" Chaya hissed. "That fuckboy Bijou? Don't make me laugh."

"He wasn't that strong," Goku mused. "Even if he did put up a good fight. That Petra bird is stronger than he is."

"Ah, yes," Chaya said, frowning slightly. Petra was definitely not her favorite person on the squad but the avian had managed to gain her grudging respect. "She's part of my elite team. Annoying, but she does her job well."

"Goku," Harper said, speaking for the first time since the male saiyan arrived. "I'm gonna be blunt for a second since I really want to know. What are you doing here? You don't look like the type that would want to become one of Kafara's underlings, even if you're strong. And you don't look like a trader either. So why are you here?"

 _That's what I want to know,_ Chaya silently added. "Yes," she spoke aloud, "I'm curious as well, Goku. What kind of business do you have here? The Dark Lady never specified."

He wasn't fazed by the sudden onslaught of questions. He'd been expecting it to come sooner or later, Chaya realized.

"The one you call the Wraith," Goku started, gaining a lot of raised eyebrows. "Her name is Caulifla. And I came here in her place. In three days, she'll be free and I'll be turned in."

Chaya blinked in disbelief. "You're joking. What the hell is wrong with you?"

"I love her," Goku said firmly, looking a little relieved after his declaration, as if he hadn't admitted this fact to anyone before; not even himself. "And I'm not going to let her go without a fight. I'm not going to lose her again."

Well, that explained a lot. Like why he grew so restless when Emmett gave some less than flattering descriptions of his lover.

"Damn," Archer interjected, letting out a low whistle. "I've gotta give you props. You e earned my respect, but I gotta say, you are a damn fool."

Goku grinned lopsidedly. "Thinking has never been one of my strong points, but that doesn't matter."

"Are you really doing to give yourself up?" Gammy inquired. "Because that's just dumb. Look how healthy and fit you are. If I were you, I'd try to find some way to try and save myself as well as this Caulifla girl."

"Hold on a sec," Emmett interrupted, his eyes wide. "Did I just hear that right? Did you say Caulifla?"

"Yeah," Goku confirmed. "Do you know her?"

"Her name does sound familiar," Gammy added, tapping her chin in contemplation. "Caulifla, Caulifla... ack, my memory is terrible. But my Emmett seems to remember." She nudged him with an elbow. "Tell 'em, dear."

"I was about to," Emmett said mildly, smiling at his wife's antics.

River, Chaya and Goku all regarded him with respect as he began his tale. Emmett always had that kind of effect on people whenever he told a tale. It was hard not to pay attention, even if Chaya always did her best to only give him half an ear lest his stories be stuck in her mind all day. His description of Caulifla as the Wraith was already enough to give her a restless mind.

So there really was nothing else to do but to sit back, relax and admire the view.

Or the story.

"I was already old when they came to see me for the first time but it went like this..."

* * *

 _"I don't see any reason why we shouldn't help them," Fennel sniffed as she stalked along the corridors, her husband by her side._

 _Beet tried to placate her. "This entire matter is out of our hands, dear. Not that I don't enjoy their company, but Lotuce and Garlik need to learn to stick their noses out of other people's business. Frost Enterprises are already working on it."_

 _"That's what they've been saying for years and the situation still hasn't changed. The conditions of D-52 and D-53 are absolutely horrid. The refugees barely have enough food and drink to get by and hygiene is literally nonexistent over there!" As she ranted, Fennel threw her hands up in the air, exasperated at her husband's reluctance to help out._

 _Behind them, Emmett walked in silence, having been assigned by one of Frost's advisers to tail them as part of their policy or whatever._

 _As a former refugee himself, he knew firsthand just how bad the camps at Planets D-52 and D-53 were._

 _"All I'm asking is for you to lend some money to the cause," Fennel was saying. "They need it, Beet, more than we do."_

 _And that was when Emmett spoke for the first time that day, causing the saiyans to turn around. "Forgive me, but I believe that is a bad idea. While Frost is undoubtedly a good man, he is still mortal. From all the donations that have been given so far, why are the camps still so terrible? I pray that I will not be destroyed when I tell you that Frost still experiences the pull of greed like any other mortal man surrounded by money and power."_

 _"He's right," Beet said, "Lotuce and Garlik are wasting their time."_

 _"Don't twist the memsie's words like that!" shouted Fennel, getting even more riled up. "That's not what he said!"_

 _"I'm not a memsie," Emmett protested mildly. "But the memsie race and my race are close cousins."_

 _"Then what are you?" Fennel asked, temporarily distracted from her upcoming tirade._

 _"A faerie," Emmett stated without even an ounce of embarrassment._

 _It was the beginning of an unlikely friendship, especially when his wife of many years, Lucinda, was added into the mix. The kitchen was always livelier when Fennel and Beet were around. Despite the latter's aristocratic status, he knew how to unwind and get along with the commoners._

* * *

 _"What's that for?" Lucinda asked, setting down two mugs of beers on the kitchen table. She was watching Fennel knit some kind of clothing using maroon yarn. "Ain't it the summer on that saiyan planet of yours?"_

 _"Oh, you remembered!" Fennel said pleasantly, beaming rays of happiness._

 _Emmett, washing the dishes, heard his wife snort even over the gush of the rushing water._

 _"How could I not?" she quipped, her curly locks bouncing as she pushed her hair out of her face. "You took me and Emmett there just two weeks ago."_

 _"Did Frost approve of your meddling this time around?" Emmett asked Beet, who was leaning against the wall and drinking his own mug of beer._

 _Their continual pestering of Frost to do something about the refugees was why their presence in the ship was a weekly occurrence. Sometimes, their friends Lotuce and Beet would be around to, having just retired not long ago from their duties as elite soldiers._

 _"What do you think?" Beet said, sighing through his nose. "He said no, of course, and warned us to back off, telling us that he had the refugee situation under control." He took a swig. "He's not a very happy man. Far from it, even if he always smiles like there's no tomorrow for the universal media."_

 _At that moment, both Lucinda and Fennel squealed as if they were still schoolgirls. Lucinda scooped Fennel, who was thankfully petite for a saiyan, into her arms in a boisterous hug._

 _"I'm so happy for you!" Lucinda all but shouted. "No wonder you haven't touched the beer yet! Normally, you'd be asking for a second glass!"_

 _Emmett's eyes widened as he processed just what Lucinda had said. "Beet, did you hear that?"_

 _"She's pregnant," Beet confirmed. "I already knew. I could sense the chi of the child. It's a bit weak but I'm sure everything will be fine."_

 _"Of course it will," Emmett agreed. "This is your second kid, right?"_

 _Beet nodded. Their first child, Cabba, had just turned two this year. They were not expecting to have another but it was a welcome surprise._

 _Months later, the child arrived into the world._

 _It was stillborn._

* * *

 _They had not visited for months. But their place had been taken by two newcomers and, while they were nice enough, things weren't the same. Two faeries, Archer and Harper, middle-aged and healthy, were brought in from Planet D-53 to work as cooks._

 _Getting up, cooking, bantering, and going back to bed became the norm. Until Beet and Fennel came back, this time with two children._

 _Emmett nearly dropped his spoon into his soup when they entered the kitchen. Ignoring Harper and Archer's confusion, he marched up to them and grasped Beet by the shoulders. "You came back."_

 _"With Cabba and... who's that?" Lucinda said, eyeing the girl child peeking out from behind Fennel's legs as little Cabba slept in his mother's arms._

 _"This is Caulifla," Fennel introduced, looking kindly at the child. "She's Lotuce and Garlik's kid. Say hello, dear."_

 _Caulifla's eyes didn't meet Emmett's as she fixed her gaze on the tiled floor, stained with old soups and sauces. "H...hewo."_

 _"She's missing her two front teeth," Beet said, "so she'll sound a bit funny."_

 _"Hi there," said Emmett, his eyes kind. "The name's Emmett. How old are you, Caulifla?"_

 _Caulifla furrowed her thin brows in a frown and held up her fingers. "Um, I'm... fwive!" She pushed her outstretched hands into Emmett's face, blinking adorably._

 _"Aren't you a big girl!" exclaimed Emmett. "Have you started training to fight yet?" he asked, knowing that mmost saiyans trained their young at very early ages._

 _As he suspected, Caulifla grinned and nodded excitedly. "Yeah! Since I was three! I think," she added as an uncertain afterthought._

 _"You must be very strong," Emmett praised as his wife waddled up to greet Fennel and Beet heartily._

 _Caulifla put up one of her little fists. "I am! I could beat you any day, old man!"_

 _"Hey there, squirt," Beet sternly said, picking up Caulifla. "What did your mommy and daddy say about picking fights with non-saiyans?"_

 _Caulifla pouted and crossed her tiny arms. "Yeah, yeah, that they might not have warrior's honor code. What they don't know won't kill 'em!"_

 _An hour later, they were gone, leaving Emmett and Lucinda to fill Harper and Archer on a few details._

* * *

"I didn't see her at all after that," Emmett finished. His hands shook. "I can't believe... that she's the Wraith."

"Kids don't turn into monsters in one afternoon," said Chaya. "So don't look so shocked."

"She's changed," Goku said firmly. "Caulifla isn't a monster. I know you probably don't believe me, Chaya, but people can change." He pushed his empty bowl aside. "Thanks for the meal, Gammy, but I'm stuffed. I think I'll go back to my room now."

Chaya's eyes followed his retreating figure until he disappeared behind the double doors.

The only sound that could be heard was the hissing and sizzling of all sorts of foodstuffs.

"He's so in love with her," River blurted, breaking the silence. "Honestly, I'm rooting for the guy. Any ideas for a ship name?"

The ice was broken.

"Goku and Caulifla..." Archer mused, tossing a dirty towel over his shoulder and rubbing his chin. His voice was filled with amusement. "Gofla?"

"How about Cauliku?" suggested Gammy, joining in.

As they continued to throw ship names about, Chaya scoffed.

"All of those names sound so dumb."

"Bet you can't come up with anything better," River retorted.

"Of course I can't. Their names just don't work together. If only Goku had a saiyan name. Then the combinations might work better."

Everyone sighed at Chaya's negativity.

Goku had just found room 1408 when he sneezed unexpectedly, his thumb hovering above the identification scanner. "Huh, that's weird..."

* * *

 _ **A/N: The maroon sweater makes a return. Now we know its original purpose before complications led Fennel to pass on the sweater to Caulifla, who passed it onto Kale. Apologies for any typos as I wrote this all in one afternoon on my iPad, which has a tendency to autocorrect incorrectly.**_


	35. Sister Dearest

_**A/N: Ack, finally. I'm sorry if this is not so top quality. Since another chapter was in demand I slaved over this and, well... just read it, I guess. This story is now cross-posted on Wattpad (caught up and everything), so if you prefer that site over ff then go over there and read.**_

 _ **Thanks for supporting this story.**_

 _ **Also, I would like to state that "**_ ** _The First day" by The Rock Diamond is now what I consider the 'official' theme song of this fic. MLP has been asking me about this since the fic was still in its early stages, so there you go. Give it a listen if you want._**

* * *

Raidashi yawned, having worked long into the night on multiple assignments given to her by the Commander of the Sadala Defense Forces as well as having started on investigating the things Cabba had left her.

 _How bothersome... that shrimp is lucky that I like him. Annoying bastard._

There was not much to report on the ashes on the kettle. But if the encyclopedia stored inside her brain was correct, they were reminiscent of the remnants of fire spells that had once been used by an ancient vampiric race in North Galaxy. The only way to confirm her loose theory was to do some DNA testing, something that she wasn't really in the mood to do. Not when all she wanted to do was take a bloody nap.

Lethargically, she grabbed a pencil and started to scrawl down all the notes she had on the ashes so far, including a reminder to test the sample tomorrow when there was actually sunlight and she was not on her last legs.

Then, absurdly bored, she folded her notes into a paper airplane and tossed it across her office. It landed in a dusty old corner and she groaned, unwilling to get off her ass and fetch the damn thing.

 _Enough thinking. I need some sleep._

Yeesh, she was so tired that she was starting to see green.

Raidashi blinked. The walls of her dark room were tinged with that same green. She rubbed her eyes.

 _What the hell? Am I hallucinating or something?_

A gentle footfall reached her ears and she stiffened. Ever so slowly, she swivelled around in her chair.

A menacing visage grinned back at her.

"Hello, Raidashi. Remember me?"

 _What?! Who the hell is this?!_

The glowing female warrior, her hair jutting out in all sorts of directions, smirked. "I thought not. Let this be a reminder for you..." She lifted her hand, a green energy ball forming in her palm.

"No!" Raidashi shrieked, standing up and pressing herself against her desk. "Don't kill me! You can't!"

"Oh? Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you, worm."

"B-because I'm the backbone of the defense force! Without me, they are _nothing_!"

The energy dissipated and the muscly she-ra simpered. "Oh my... that would be a shame..." The energy reformed in her hand twice as fast as before. "Bye, bye!"

Raidashi's dying screams faded away as she was obliterated.

* * *

"Careful, careful!" Niifa snapped, gripping the scalpel with a considerable amount of strength. "She may be saiyan but her organs are fine and delicate! Which _includes_ her brain."

"Sorry," Muto apologized, uncharacteristically serious as he split the patient's skull open with a sharp, whirring blade.

"Stimulating sensory calmness needed to attain form..."

"Who's holding the destruction chi?"

"I am, Squad Leader."

"Hand it over."

"FUCK! Her heart is beating irregularly!"

"Stop the procedure immediately and administer an appropriate dose of medicine!"

* * *

"Haah!" Goku punched the air with a mighty force, the high gravity levels of the room pushing down on him. He smirked. _So this is how Vegeta feels..._

"Um, excuse me..."

Wiping the sweat of his forehead with a rough towel, Goku turned to face a terrified-looking servant that was reminiscent of a pterodactyl.

"You've been here for almost four hours," the servant said, gulping. "There are other trainees that need to use this facility."

"Oh, okay." Goku marched over to the controls and turned off the gravity, holding an apologetic arm up to the servant. "Sorry for taking so long." He grinned. "Phew, I'm beat. Time for a snack."

"Uhh, yes... Would you like me to fetch some food for you...?"

"Nah, I'm good. I know where all the good grub is."

"If you say so, sir."

As Goku made his way down to the kitchens, where he was sure the faeries would welcome him with open arms (and exasperated sighs), a hooded figure brushed past him in the hallway.

Being cloaked, their appearance was wholly unimpressive, but Goku could have sworn that their power was familiar. Frowning contemplatively, he turned back and called out to them, "Hey!"

The figure halted in their tracks, their head tilting slightly. "Yes?" The voice was rough and female.

 _Weird... I could have sworn that I know her._ But, thanks to the strange bands pretty much everyone on the ship wore, the person's power level was undeniably warped in one way or another. Goku didn't waste any time cutting to the chase. "Have I seen you someplace before?"

"Yes," the female drawled. "That's why I don't go there anymore. If you're trying to flirt, just give it up."

Goku shook his head. "You just seem familiar, that's all." _But I just can't put my finger on it..._

"Tch. Whatever. Is that all you wanted to say to me? My boss is expecting me, Son Goku."

He blinked. 'You know my name?"

She snorted. "Who doesn't? You and that pretty boy Bijou are this week's talk." Without waiting for a reply, she stalked off, her cloak flapping behind her, revealing a set of muscular calves.

"Yeesh, someone's moody."

Goku had nearly reached the kitchens when he ran right into the back of a familiar saiyan.

"Oh, sorry about that, buddy—" Goku cut himself off, smiling when he realized just who he had collided with. "Hey, Chaya! Are you going to the kitchens?"

Chaya nodded shortly, her lips pursed. "I am. Would it be wishful thinking to hope that you aren't doing the same?"

Goku rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Hehe... you know me so well."

She rolled her eyes but didn't complain as Goku sidled alongside her. "You're a saiyan. All you think about is food, sex and fighting."

"You're saiyan too," said Goku, not really liking how she grouped all saiyans into one category. "Do you think about those things as well?"

"... Not all the time," she admitted, flushing slightly. "But don't expect me to apologize. I wasn't raised like your typical saiyan. I've never even set foot on my homeworld before."

"Me neither," Goku said easily.

"Oh. You mentioned something about being raised on a planet called Earth, right?"

"Uh huh. I was sent there on a mission as a kid but I ended up being dropped on the head." He laughed. "I lost all my memories of the mission so I made myself at home instead."

Chaya sweatdropped. "It's really nothing to laugh about..." She cleared her throat. "I guess we're more alike than I first anticipated..." She crossed her arms and frowned. "Tell me, Goku, what are the saiyans like back at Sadala?"

They entered the kitchen, where they received a warm welcome. After making some idle small talk, Chaya and Goku sat opposite each other on the wooden table.

"I don't know many saiyans," Goku answered, "but I can talk about the ones that I _do_ know. It's not all food, fighting and sex, you know. Each saiyan..." He faltered. "... Is different."

"Different? How so? Like in their personalities?"

"Yeah, I guess. They can be nice, mean, or somewhere in between." He chuckled at the rhyme before continuing, "There's Vegeta, first of all. He lives on Earth with me." He nearly revealed to her that he was a prince before choosing to omit that little fact. "He's kinda prickly but once you get to know him more, he's great." Well, as great as Vegeta could get anyway. "Don't tell him I said this, but he's a huge softie whenever Bulma's around."

"Bulma? Who is this Bulma?"

"Vegeta's wife—er, mate—and one of my best friends. Out of all of us, she's the only one that can match his fiery personality."

"She must be very strong," Chaya commented, thanking Gammy when she set down two bowls of delicious smelling stew in front of them. "To tame a saiyan."

"Ah, about that... she's human, so she's not strong at all. Well, physically, anyway."

"What?" Chaya raised an eyebrow. "And... this Vegeta... just lets her push him around when she doesn't have any strength to back it up? How unsaiyan like. Was he raised on Earth as well?"

"Saiyans like strong-willed mates," Goku said offhandedly. "And nah, he wasn't. But 'nuff about Vegeta." _He's not even from this universe._

"Then who shall we talk about next?"

"Caulifla," Goku said immediately, remembering that Chaya held some sort of connection to Caulifla if the freshly scrawled picture in Parsley's diary was any indication.

Instantly, Chaya's gaze flattened. "Why? What's there to know about her? Don't tell me you're going to retell your love story or something—"

"You asked for it, so drop the attitude," Goku said evenly.

"I don't want to talk about Caulifla," Chaya said petulantly, folding her arms and turning her nose up at him.

Goku sweatdropped at her stubbornness. _She's not going to change her mind anytime soon._ "Why don't you tell me more about yourself then?"

"Huh? Why should I?"

"I told you about Vegeta and you know where I come from," Goku pointed out. "It's only fair."

"... Fine. Where do I begin?"

"Maybe from the beginning?" River snarked as he walked by with a pot of dishwater in his arms.

"Shut up, River, or I'll trip you."

"Ack! Okay, okay, I get it."

"There's not much to say about myself," Chaya admitted, propping her head on her hand. "I was born on Planet Sadala but raised on the ship. Lady Kafara... treated me with kindness when she was still Frost's lieutenant. I don't know why she got crueller as I grew older. I don't know if it's because of my past closeness with the lady... but sometimes, she shows me things."

"What kind of things?" Goku queried.

By now, pretty much everyone was listening in. They hadn't yet had the opportunity to hear Chaya talk about herself, surprisingly enough. The topic simply just never came up in any kind of conversation.

"Things that I shouldn't remember," Chaya answered, tapping her fingers on the wood of the tabletop. "Because I would have been way too young at the time she remember them. It makes me think... that she got close to me on purpose so she could fill my head with those memories. I don't know if they're real or fake, so don't ask. The Lady is a master manipulator."

"Wasn't going to." _So Kafara can fabricate memories, huh?_

"Anyway... those memories are probably the only things worth talking about."

Goku leaned forward in anticipation.

* * *

 _"Waaahh!" a young girl with spikes that defied gravity screamed, thrashing in the arms of Sadalan authorities. "Let me go! Big brother! Big brother, help me! Where are you?!"_

 _"Little girl, calm down!" one official said sharply, grimacing when she landed a punch to his face. "We have the situation under control."_

 _"What happened to my mom and dad?!" she shrieked, continuing to fight. "Mommmy! Dadddy!"_

 _"Oh, for fuck's sake." One of them slapped her in the face and she fell quiet, her entire body quaking._

 _"Shh, shh," one female official said, taking her into her arms and bouncing her up and down. "It's okay. We've got you now. You're safe."_

 _Whimpering, the little girl buried her face into the crook of the other female's neck, her shivering growing increasingly violent. "B-big brother..."_

 _"Is also safe," the woman lied, her brows knitting together._

 _"O-okay..." Her breath hitched. "O-okay..."_

 _"She's in shock," said one saiyan. "Get her a dose of meds immediately."_

 _"I'm on it."_

 _The girl disappeared into the back of a truck._

 _Nearby, two female saiyans were having a hushed conversation. They too were dressed in a uniform, signifying their alliance with the Sadalan forces._

 _"Have you seen the bodies?"_

 _"Y-yeah... how could a saiyan possibly do that to their own kind?" She shivered and her coworker patted her back sympathetically. "It was so gruesome. Especially the female's." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "She was pregnant."_

 _"What?! Seriously? What happened to the baby?"_

 _"Torn out of the womb," the female said curtly, passing her hand through her messy black locks. She tilted her head back to look up at the rising sun, the action accentuating the dark circles around and under her almond-shaped eyes._

 _"Oh my god... Is... it dead?"_

 _"Dunno. We couldn't find the thing anywhere. The murderer probably took it and dumped it somewhere."_

 _"Yeah..."_

* * *

"Is that it?" Goku asked when she finished.

"Didn't say I was going to tell you everything," Chaya pointed out, looking slightly pale. She stood up. "I'm done here. Thanks for the food, Gammy."

"No problem, sugar cube. Where you going? You normally never leave us this early."

"I just have things to do. I'll see you tomorrow."

She exited through the double-doors, leaving Goku and company dumbfounded.

* * *

They were nearly there. They were _so_ close to making her the ultimate life form and saving their own skins from Kafara's wrath.

But, dammit, Caulifla was still mortal and if they didn't take a break on their experiments now, she'd be dead within an hour. They shoved her, still unconscious and strapped to the operating table, into a preservation chamber.

They were cleaning up when a the doors opened. They froze before relaxing.

"Evening," Chaya greeted curtly as she stepped into the lab.

"Wait, wait, wait!" Niifa said snippishly. "You're so dirty, you filthy ape! Get out of here!"

"No. Not until I see the Wraith."

"Oh for god's sake, _another_ fan?"

Chaya smirked cruelly. "Not exactly. Just let me see her and I'll be off to bed. Please," she added as an afterthought. "I'm not going to do anything to her. I value my life too, you know. But since I was directly involved in her capture, you might say that I have a certain... authority."

"You have absolutely zero authority," Niifa stated bluntly, peeling off her bloody arm-length gloves. As they snapped off, they made a sound that was far too wet for Chaya's comfort. "But I'm tired and I want a drink. Take a look if you want. She's in the glass chamber over there. Try to avoid touching anything, saiyan."

"Duly noted, zoorian."

As the scientists—technicians?—continued to pack up, Chaya glared through the glass as she laid her eyes on Caulifla's calm, smooth face, free of any anger or maliciousness.

 _How disgusting. That villains like her look like angels when robbed of their consciousness._ She smiled wryly. _Then again, who am I to talk?_ She lifted her arm and pressed her palm onto the glass.

Chaya had many regrets in her life. One of those many regrets was revisiting those ancient memories that Kafara had planted in her head before their grew apart.

 _How could I be so stupid? To fall to Son Goku's whims._ He had made her comfortable before proceeding to extract that kind of sensitive information from her. Sure, it was just a personal thing but...

Her eyes gleamed.

 _Caulifla._

The screaming little girl flashed through her mind.

 _I remember who you are._

A pause.

 _I want to talk to you._

Another heartbeat passed by.

 _Sister._

She closed her eyes.

 _I am so fucking screwed._

* * *

A grin practically enveloped Kafara's entire bony face her latest puppet entered the room and bowed to her feet.

"Kale," Kafara said in lieu of greeting, crossing her legs. "You've finally come. Have you eliminated that annoying, interfering saiyan woman?"

"Yes, my lady."

"And that other one? Cabba, was it?"

"... Yes, my lady."

"Good. You've done very well, my dear. I shall call for you when I need you. Meanwhile, keep an eye on Son Goku. Do not let yourself be discovered."

"Yes, my lady."

"You're dismissed."

Kale bowed her head to Kafara one last time before shuffling away, pulling the hood of her cloak up as she did so. She was currently in a form somewhere between her base form and her beserker form, a form that could only be unlocked now that she had Kafara's claws hooked into her mind. The Dark Lady gave her a sort of calmness. The same sort of calmness needed to attain this in between form.

She smiled to herself, her eyes faraway.

Everything was going to plan.

* * *

 _ **A/N: Exams were supposed to be over but there was a screw-up in the system and my last set of exams (for Chinese) are next Tuesday.**_


	36. ASCENDING SUMMARY

_**A/N: Yes, I know a lot of people were pissed when I discontinued the story. Unfortunately, even all the rage and hate from the fandom will not get me to continue this (although, if I find myself getting interested again, I might do a rewrite, but it is unlikely), but I thought it was pretty shitty of me to just leave you guys hanging and not even offer a summary of what was going to happen after chapter 35.**_

 _ **Keep in mind that this was a story I started when I was 15, and a story I didn't really plan out too well. Everything was all over the place, and eventually writing it became dull, and the chapters I pushed out didn't seem that great (or what 15-year-old me considered great at that time). There are a lot of things I wish I could have done differently, so I'll be including a few of these points in the "summary" as well.**_

 _ **Without further ado, here, beginning with the changes.**_

* * *

Goku and Chi Chi should have interacted a little more and decide that they don't share the love and passion as they once did, and agreed on a mutual break-up prior to the tournament; Goten would have still lived with Chi Chi while Goku took up residence in his grandpa's old house again. Why? Because I really do not condone cheating and included that aspect solely because I was not creative enough to think about another alternative, and thought cheating was "edgy". Blagh. Chi Chi might be a hated character in the fandom, but I should have respected her character a little more.

More romantic interactions between Goku and Caulifla, other than sex, though I won't specify what because I'm too far gone from the fandom to properly imagine any realistic interaction with these characters anymore. But maybe they will disclose their pasts to each other sooner rather than later?

 **Dampering down on the unnecessary OCs.** This was a major complaint, and I can see where I went wrong. I love OCs to death, but I shouldn't have made so many actually relevant to the story. This is a lesson I'm still learning, because I'm doing a similar thing in the story that I'm currently working on (Naruto has more leeway, though). I'll work on it. The only OC I would have kept mostly as it is would probably be Chaya, simply because I made her important to Caulifla, and therefore the plot.

Keeping Freeza as a more neutral villain minding his own business, like in the series, rather than sending him back to HFIL; I had an arc planned for him, but I can no longer remember what it is about. Hah.

Kafara will have a more scientifically-minded personality, rather than being a power-playing megalomaniac, but still enjoys pulling strings from the shadows. She still seeks power, but it is more for her own personal gain rather than a wish for universal dominance, and, after hearing of the Super Saiyan God and the tournament (for plot convenience, the tournament was broadcasted, somehow; I think Universe 2 did that but I can't recall). She wants to turn Caulifla into a SSJG so she can absorb her power, killing Caulifla should it occur. The reason why Kafara is unwilling to test it out on herself is because she knows the power would destroy her own body. Caulifla can contain it as well as damper it to the point where Kafara is able to absorb it via ingestion of her blood. This was something that was going to be put in the original, but I never made it to that point.

 **After Chapter 35:**

After Chaya switches allegiances to family, she informs Goku of Caulifla's whereabouts. Kafara is notified of Chaya's betrayal, and sends Kale to stop them. Kale easily overpowers Chaya to the point where she is very wounded, and engages with Goku in an epic battle. Goku attempts to remind Kale of who she really is but to no avail; she is lost in the darkness of her own mind.

The fight destabilizes the ship, and it's bloody-fucking-chaos everywhere as people try to escape from the battle. The kerfuffle is noticed by the Sadala police people, and Cabba and a squad are interrupted from finding out the truth behind Raidaishi's death and sent to the ship to investigate. Renso is freed in the pandemonium, and discovers Chaya's wounded form. The duel between Goku and Kale has naturally moved to a different area. Big booms and stuff. Kafara is heading to Niifa's lab, where the final stages of the Caulifla God Chi insertion are happening.

Chaya and Renso reconcile, Chaya revealing that she must be his sister, as she is certain from her the glimpses into her own repressed memories that Caulifla is her sister. There reuniting moment has to be brief, however, when Kafara breaks into Niifa's lab, having a showdown with the scientists.

Caulifla is practically screaming in agony as her body struggles to accept the God Chi, alternating between her base, super saiyan, super saiyan two etc. forms, until she reaches the red god form. Niifa refuses to have Kafara touch Caulifla until her body has accepted the chi, but Kafara is impatient, and kills them all (except Niifa, who she only mortally wounds) as punishment.

As she is about to suck Caulifla's blood out, Chaya appears, having been summoned by the fluctuation of Caulifla's chi. She takes on Kafara, despite her heavy wounds, and actually puts up a decent fight before Caulifla awakens, her body having fully accepted the God Chi. Recognizing Chaya as her sister, she launches herself into battle, feeling light and strained at the same time from the trauma her body has been through, and rewards the experiments have reaped. Kafara retreats into the darkness, while Caulifla and Chaya are finally reunited. They have a brief moment of relief before Caulifla urges her to retreat with Renso. After a brief argument, she begrudgingly agrees, leaving the battlefield.

Somewhere in the falling-apart ship, Goku and Kale are still fighting, Kale appearing to have the upper hand. But then Caulifla joins the battle in her new super saiyan god form (not blue). She and Goku tagteam against Kale, and try to have Kale remember who she once was. Kale is being beaten at this point, but the roots of the seeds that Kafara planted run deep.

Outside the ship, Chaya is sensing imminent danger, already on edge from the battle that has now broken the ship into a pile of floating ruins in the sky because of something anti-gravity device still intact or something, remnant of those sky islands you see on fantasy forums. The biggest piece of the ship is where Goku, Caulifla, and Kale are fighting it out. Caulifla has managed to remain unharmed thanks to sheer luck and timing, while Goku is bearing some injuries. They are on the verge of forcing Kale out of her state of mind, and the girl is slowly changing back.

Then Kale sees Cabba's horrified expression in the distance as the Sadala police arrive to take things back into control.

Finally, Kale returns to her normal forms, falling into Goku's arms. Caulifla looks over her, pleased with tears in her eyes, and Kale tearfully murmurs her regrets before passing out. Cabba, down below, starts toward them to fetch Kale, when he notices Kafara skulking in the shadows of the semi-opened-up chamber floating in the sky. He shouts out a warning, zooming toward them but is overtaken by Chaya, who noticed before him. Kafara has managed to time-skip with Hit's ability, launching herself at Caulifla's's exhausted, kneeling form. The clawed hand that should have pierced Caulifla's stomach is taken by Chaya, destroying the majority of her internal organs. A senzu bean will no be effective when she cannot swallow.

Chaya's (barely able to talk, but the message gets across somehow because plot convenience) dying words are to never underestimate the bonds of a family; it is something never to be trifled with. She only wishes that she could have had more time with her family.

Caulifla's mind snaps into a calm state. In her eerily serene grief, she unlocks super saiyan blue, and fights Kafara, the woman who has controlled most of her life and taken everything from her. Goku watches from the sidelines, understanding that this is something Caulifla needs to resolve herself. Internally, he laments the death of Chaya briefly, not knowing that Champa's death has left the Universe 6 dragon balls unusable. Universe 7's dragon balls are not powerful enough to interfere with the workings of another universe, while the super dragon balls are inactive for the next century for plot convenience. It may be a cockroach's lifespan, but there might be a hella old cockroach out there. Basically, Chaya is dead for good. She isn't coming back.

Caulifla brutalizes Kafara before killing her, taking her revenge finally.

Kale, who is now in Cabba's arms, begins to stir, while Caulifla falls to her knees in front of Chaya's dead body, noticing with no small amount of bitterness it was the womb where Kafara first impaled her, the power of the strike turning most of her organs into mush while she was at it. How poetic.

There is a timeskip here.

A scene where Sadala is rebuilding, Kafara's machinations exposed. Cabba gets a solemn press conference, in which he openly cries for the wrongdoings. Sadala is in mourning.

There is a scene of Cabba, Caulifla, and Kale leaving flowers at Chaya's fresh grave. Chaya has gotten the burial of a noblesaiyan. In fact, I'll even put it up. Again, keep in mind that I was still 15 when I wrote this scene, intending to put it in in a later chapter that never happened. This was written before I killed Champa off.

* * *

 **Deleted/extra scene**

Along with her comrades, Caulifla trudged up the hillside. Cabba and Kale lingered behind her, the latter holding a bouquet of Planet Sadala's national flower: the Gemalia. Purple-white petals drifted to the ground as Kale shuffled the florets in her arms from side to side. They reached the hilltop just as the sun began to set, dusk descending upon them.

Caulifla stared impassively at the single sword that marked their graves before squatting down to touch her forehead to the cold blade, her raven bangs curtaining her face. "Hello, again."

Cabba and Kale stood in silence as they watched Caulifla. The evening breeze scattered the fallen Gemalia petals, sending them into a gentle whirlwind of colour.

"The demon that killed you is dead," Caulifla declared to the blade. "My comrades and I have defeated her. She is no more, nothing but space dust." She lifted her head slightly. "You have been avenged." With help…

The atmosphere chilled, courtesy of a particularly strong wind, and Cabba wrapped an arm around Kale to keep her warm. The girl's arms trembled, more Gemalia petals fluttering to the ground.

"Talk about Renso," Cabba was muttering, unsure if Caulifla could hear him or not. "Tell them about Renso and… and Chaya too." Talk about how brave she was.

"Renso wronged me," Caulifla went on. "But… I've forgiven him." Her voice became strained. "The past is behind us. And, Mother… We found her. She lived that night. They butchered you; tore her out of your womb, but she still lived. They named her Chaya, 'the child of no one'." And the sister I never knew. Please be proud of her. She gritted her teeth in anger and wrapped her hand around the edge of the sword. Tiny droplets of blood landed in the earth.

Cabba felt a tremor run up his arm; Kale's shoulders were trembling with each sob. He pressed himself against her and she calmed slightly at his warmth.

"Chaya is dead," Caulifla said plainly, "I failed to protect her." She lowered her body even further and didn't stop until her head touched the floor in a pitiful bow. "I'm sorry. Forgive me." Tears mingled with blood in the dirt. "Forgive me…! Oh god – please forgive me…!"

Kale observed her 'sis' with wide, tearful eyes. Never before had Caulifla's protégée seen the older woman exhibit such a display of weakness. For as long as Kale had known her, Caulifla had always kept herself cool and composed. As a leader, it was a necessity.

"She slaughtered her!" Caulifla's voice increased in volume. "SHE SLAUGHTERED HER LIKE A PIG! EVEN AFTER EVERYTHING SHE'D DONE FOR HER THAT DEMON STILL KILLED HER –" She cut herself off, her chest heaving. "Chaya is dead. Chaya is dead."

"Caulifla, that's enough," Cabba started, wanting to nip the source of Kale's distress at the bud. "W-we can still wish her back."

"No, we can't," Caulifla ground out, "because Universe 7's dragon balls do not have the power to interfere with the happenings of other universes." She laughed harshly. "Of course, there are the super dragon balls… But the God of Destruction has hold over them. There is no way that fatass will ever let some mortal use them for something so," she spat out the word, "trivial."

"But we fought for Universe 6. Surely that is enough for Lord Champa to relent."

"Our participation in that god forsaken tournament means nothing to Champa. So what if fought for the survival of Universe 6? We still lost and were erased in case you forgot!" Caulifla turned around, her eyes hollow with despair. "Chaya is dead, Cabba. And she's never coming back."

Kale was silent as she watched Caulifla walk away from the grave of her mother and father. She watched as Caulifla descended the hillside. She watched as Caulifla retraced her steps down the winding pathway. Then she moved forward, nudging Cabba to the side. Like Caulifla had done before, Kale knelt in front of the sword, now slick wet crimson. With quivering arms, she laid the Gemalia bouquet upon the earth.

As he stood behind her, Cabba barely heard her whisper, "I'm sorry."

"None of this was your fault," Cabba pointed out gently. "You're not to blame."

"That's where you're wrong, Cabba. I am. It is my fault; if Chaya didn't take that for me… I'd be dead right now and she'd still be alive. Caulifla would be happy."

With a sigh, Cabba, took her by the arm and led her down the hill. She did not protest. They walked the trail in silence, meadows turning into forest and foliage. On the horizon, they could just make out the local bazaar, still busy and bustling at this hour.

* * *

After that, Cabba, Caulifla, and Kale would have all reconciled with each other and Goku. Caulifla and Goku get back together after some heartfelt stuff, discussion of grief, etc. She returns to Universe 7 with him, while Kale and Cabba stay behind in Universe 6, promising to visit.

Kale is afraid what will happen if Caulifla leaves her, but Caulifla tells her that she has a lot of growing up to do on her own. She can no longer be so dependent on Caulifla about everything, and accepts that. She starts her journey into a new life by joining the police force. Corruption from Frost's former empire has been weeded out thanks to Caulifla and Goku's new statuses as heroes of Sadala. She will have to do a lot to earn back the trust of the people, but she believes that everything will be okay, knowing that she has the support of Cabba and his family.

Before Caulifla leaves, she goes to her old gang. She even bows to them, thanking them for all the good years they had given her. The gangsters are moved, and some even comically cry into their arms as Caulifla smirks.

Then they are gone to Universe 7, where things work themselves out. In the final scene of the final chapter, Caulifla reveals to the audience that she is pregnant, standing outside on the cliffside with her hands folded comfortably on her still-flat stomach. Then she returns to where Goku is sleeping, resolving to tell him later. She smiles as she falls asleep.

Family is important to her, and she will do her best to look after their new child, who is bound to be powerful.

Then the epilogue.

Saiyan kids. Just... saiyan kids. Happily ever after as it can get. Firstborn is a female named Chaya, after her sister, and the second (and last) child is a son. Name undecided.

* * *

 _ **A/N: And that's it. I guess I'll see you in oblivion.**_


End file.
